Thursday Night
by MsDorisDaisy
Summary: Clarke and Lexa have been best friends for years, but a recent night of drinking and dancing starts to shift the boundaries of their friendship into something else entirely. Appearances by all the best characters: Octavia, Lincoln, Raven, and Anya (among others possibly).
1. Chapter 1

"What the actual fuck, Griffin?!" The sleep-deprived voice of the sassy brunette echoed in the bedroom. She had awoken to her best friend and roommate quickly snatching her soft, warm comforter off her sleeping body and onto the floor.

"It's Thursday! Party time!" The blonde exclaimed while grabbing for the brunette's wrist.

"Get out," the brunette hissed with her eyes closed tightly.

Clarke released her roommate's wrist and huffed out a sigh. She knew her roommate was tired because she had been working double shifts for the past two weeks for some extra money, but it was Thursday - their party day - and she wasn't about to let that go to waste.

"But it's Thursday!" Clarke repeated.

"But I'm tired," the dark-haired girl muttered.

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon," the blonde replied. No doubt the other girl would sleep until evening if Clarke hadn't intervened. A small, incoherent grumble came from under the tired girl's pillow, and Clarke let out a small sigh.

"If you don't get up now, you're going to ruin my evening," Clarke quipped.

The brunette shifted under her pillow, knowing that she was due for a night out at their favorite club with their favorite friends. She peeked out from under her pillow and glared teasingly at her roommate.

"You didn't have to rip my blanket off, you know. You could have just flashed me that pretty smile of yours, Griffin, and I would have been putty in your hands."

"Right..." the blonde replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Now get your ass out of bed and help me figure out what to wear."

"You look good in everything, Clarke," the sleepy girl started as she slowly pulled herself into a seated position on her bed. "After all, I pretty much single-handedly built your wardrobe."

"Then come bask in all your glory in my room," Clarke responded with a smile.

"Where's the coffee?" The blonde's roommate asked.

"Kitchen?" Clarke half-stated, half-asked.

"You give me coffee, I give you clothing advice."

"Deal!" Clarke exclaimed before turning on her heels and heading out of the bedroom.

Clarke threw a k-cup into their Keurig coffee maker and pulled a package of Pop-tarts out of the cabinet. She headed back to her own room, coffee and breakfast in hand, and smiled when she saw her roommate sitting on her bed with the comforter that she ripped off of her just minutes before wrapped tightly around her slumped body.

"I come bearing sustenance," Clarke said while holding out the coffee and pastry towards her roommate. The brunette smiled and greedily accepted the items, inhaling the sweet smell of her freshly brewed coffee before taking a hearty sip.

"So what look are we going for tonight, Griffin? Slutty? Desperate? Fuck me on the dance floor, please?"

Clarke shot her roommate a glare before sheepishly turning towards her closet, knowing that her friend was right. It had been FAR too long since she'd been with anyone, and her body seemed to be reminding her of that on a daily basis.

"Shut it!" Clarke barked at her roommate, which earned a hearty laugh from the girl sitting behind her. The two chatted and teased each other while the blonde pulled out item after item from her closet, most of them making into the "no" pile at the foot of her bed. They finally decided on something, and Clarke was pleased. She always loved looking her best, it gave her confidence and that little extra push put herself out there to meet someone new.

"As long as you wear that tonight," the brunette said while motioning her finger around the outfit Clarke had in her hands "you are definitely going to get laid."

"Well then you'd better plan on staying at Lincoln's tonight," Clarke said with a wag of her eyebrows.

"Oh honey, I was already planning on it," Octavia responded. "This girl definitely needs a little somethin somethin after two weeks of double shifts."

Clarke laughed and walked over to her bedside table, grabbing for her phone.

"Please tell me homegirl's coming tonight," Octavia said before taking another gulp of coffee. "I don't want to have to wait in line like a chump."

"Yep, texting her now!" Clarke responds. In all honesty, there aren't too many places Clarke and Octavia go without Lexa and their other best friend Raven. They are almost inseparable, really. Before Octavia found Lincoln, the foursome joked that maybe they had some kind of unhealthy dependency on each other that prevented them from meeting eligible singles night after night. "You texting Raven?"

"I'm on it!" Octavia called from the hallway.

 **Clarke: Hey chica, guess what?**

 **Lexa: It's Thursday?**

 **Clarke: You know me too well.**

 **Lexa: What time?**

 **Clarke: 8, don't be late.**

 **Lexa: You're a dork.**

 **Clarke: A dork that you love.**

 **Lexa: This is true.**

 **Clarke: See ya soon, chica!**

Clarke put her phone on the bathroom counter and hopped in the shower. She let the warm water cascade down her back and closed her eyes, letting out a contented sigh. The steam from the shower filled her lungs, and she smelled the faint scent of her citrus shampoo from the day before. Letting out another deep breath, she lathered up her hair and started to mentally prepare for the night ahead.

Clarke Griffin had turned into a bit of a party animal over the last couple of years. The combination of finally being free from the stresses of medical school and having such an energetic core group of friends always seemed to put her in a good mood, which in turn made her want to drink, dance, and party the night away with said best friends in tow.

Noticing a light blinking on her phone, Clarke reached for it after she wrapped a towel around herself.

 **Lexa: Do you have the day off tomorrow?**

 **Lexa: If so, I'm stopping for hang-over supplies. I don't want a repeat of last weekend, Griffin.**

Clarke chuckled to herself remembering how she had called Lexa the morning after their partying, whining about being hungry and thirsty and that her brain was exploding. Lexa had asked why Octavia couldn't get off her ass and get them something to drink, eat, and pills to dull the headaches... but Octavia was nearly worse off than Clarke was that morning. Lexa was always the "responsible" drinker and often found herself looking after the other girls the morning after. Although Clarke was always more insistent about having Lexa help than her other friends, it wasn't something that Lexa had thought particularly hard about.

 **Clarke: You love taking care of me, Woods. I'm your favorite.**

 **Lexa: I'll take that to mean you have nothing in your cabinets but coffee and Pop-Tarts then.**

 **Clarke: How dare you?!**

 **Lexa: Thought so.**

 **Lexa: And yes, you're my favorite.**

 **Clarke: Thought so.**

Clarke smiled as she pictured Lexa on the other end of their text conversation shaking her head and smirking at her phone, and she would obviously be highly amused at the witty banter going on between the two of them. There was still a few hours until they were all meeting at The Ark, their favorite club downtown, so Clarke took her time getting ready and relaxing before the night began. Glancing at her outfit Octavia had helped her pick out, she smiled and felt a flutter of excitement in her chest thinking about what or who the night might bring.

* * *

Lexa was walking along the sidewalks downtown towards her apartment building after a long day at work. Thursdays were always busy, as she had a standing meeting with one of her most important clients who happened to be a prominent political figure in the community. Lexa was a lawyer, and a damn good one, but she loved being able to meet up with her best friends on any night of the week to let loose and have fun. She knew she was the "most responsible" out of the four but was that really so unexpected from the personality that a political lawyer most likely has?

Lexa heard her phone chirp with a text notification as she opened her apartment door. Everything about Lexa's apartment screams Lexa. All of her belongings are tucked neatly into closets or on top of shelves. Her books, all hundreds of them, are organized on her many bookcases set up in her living room and study. Lexa's apartment décor wasn't lacking, but it was minimalist and classy. Everything about her apartment was just so... Lexa.

She stepped out of her shoes at the front door and made her way into the study where she always tucked her briefcase on the floor beside the desk. She grabbed her phone from the front pocket of the tote and headed back towards her kitchen, preparing to make herself a cup of hot tea. She glanced at her text messages and noticed one from Clarke at the top.

 **Clarke: Hey chica, guess what?**

 **Lexa: It's Thursday?**

 **Clarke: You know me too well.**

 **Lexa: What time?**

 **Clarke: 8, don't be late.**

 **Lexa: You're a dork.**

 **Clarke: A dork that you love.**

 **Lexa: This is true.**

 **Clarke: See ya soon, chica!**

Remembering last weekend and how drunk her blonde best friend got, and how she called at 9am practically begging Lexa to come over and take care of her hung-over ass, she quickly typed out a couple more texts to Clarke.

 **Lexa: Do you have the day off tomorrow?**

 **Lexa: If so, I'm stopping for hang-over supplies. I don't want a repeat of last weekend, Griffin.**

She smiled and placed her phone on the kitchen counter before reaching for a mug and tea bag. There was something soothing about her daily routine of making herself a nice, hot cup of tea after a long day of work and cracking open a good book or perhaps going over a few more items for work before dinner. She was an early riser, so it usually meant she returned from work at around 3 or 4pm.

Lexa sat down on her soft suede couch and sipped at her tea. She picked up her phone and noticed the blonde had responded.

 **Clarke: You love taking care of me, Woods. I'm your favorite.**

 **Lexa: I'll take that to mean you have nothing in your cabinets but coffee and Pop-Tarts then.**

 **Clarke: How dare you?!**

 **Lexa: Thought so.**

 **Lexa: And yes, you're my favorite.**

 **Clarke: Thought so.**

Lexa read the back-and-forth while shaking her head and smiling widely. There was never a moment when her mind thought of Clarke Griffin that it didn't stir up a smile and a warm feeling in her chest. She knew more than anyone else that she had it bad for her best friend. There was something more than just friendship feelings there, and Lexa was utterly terrified at even the thought of acting on those feelings. She knew Clarke was interested in both men and women, but she seemed a bit more particular about the women she dated, so Lexa assumed she would have no chance since they were just friends.

She and Clarke had been friends, close friends, best friends for years. She was officially in the friend zone with the beautiful blonde, as evidenced by her always being the one to help Clarke sober up after a long night of drinking and filling up her cabinets with food – actual food – on a somewhat regular basis. She didn't know how it started, but she didn't mind it either. She liked taking care of Clarke Griffin. In fact, she liked everything about her.

 **Author's Note** : This is my first Clexa fic, and I originally intended this to be a one-shot. It quickly snowballed into something entirely different, but I hope you like it. Please leave comments or suggestions as I would love to hear how people are liking or disliking this story.


	2. Chapter 2

Clarke and Octavia walked closely together along the sidewalk outside of The Ark, where they were meeting their friends for another night of drinking, dancing, and just plain having fun. Lexa was already waiting at the front door for her friends, as she was quite the stickler for punctuality. Her back was turned toward the two approaching girls, but Clarke noticed Lexa and shouted her name excitedly.

Lexa turned around to see Octavia and Clarke sauntering towards her, and Lexa's eyebrows slowly arched upwards as she laid her eyes on the blonde who had locked eyes with her and was smiling the most impossibly huge smile she had ever seen on Clarke's face.

"Hey!" Clarke said to Lexa before wrapping her left arm around the slightly taller girl's shoulders. Clarke turned to Lexa's left and surged forward to hug Raven a hug, who apparently had walked up behind Lexa without her noticing.

"Hey bitches!" Octavia blurted out when she caught up to the group. "Let's get this party started!"

Lexa couldn't get over the blonde's glowing smile and felt lost in it for a moment before lowering her gaze to take in the spectacularly flattering... no... downright smoking hot outfit that was clinging to every one of the blonde's curves that she secretly loved.

She couldn't manage to take her eyes off Clarke, which was unfortunate because she was the one who was supposed to be getting them to the front of the line. Due to her many "connections" with businesses and people within the community, her friends would often use her (in the nicest sense of the way) to get an express pass into their favorite clubs downtown on the especially busy nights.

"Hello? Lexa, you're our hook up to get past the line remember?" Raven interjected. "Stop checking Griffin out so we can get inside and start drinking already!"

"I wasn't... I..." Lexa trailed off but decided not to finish her weak defense of why she had been staring at Clarke and simply lead the group over to a side entrance, where they were able to slip right into the club with no questions asked. Lexa told the bouncer to add Octavia's boyfriend, Lincoln, to the list before following her friends into the club.

Lexa was happy to be walking directly behind Clarke because she was able to now notice how perfectly her ripped skinny jeans hugged her curvy hips and made her ass look absolutely squeezable.

Absolutely squeezable? Did she actually just think that?

Lexa was so lost in thought that she nearly collided with Clarke when they all stopped at the bar, starting to put in the first drink orders for the night.

Clarke turned around and smiled at Lexa, noticing a faint shade of pink resting high on the brunette's cheeks.

"How are you, lady?" Clarke asked her best friend.

"Good! Long day at work, but that's nothing new. Ready for a few drinks," she answered honestly. She really did want to be here, even if what she had just said make it sound like she was tired from a long day's work. Honestly, anywhere she was with Clarke Griffin she was happy.

"Good!" Clarke said while picking up two shots off the bar and handing on to Lexa. "To a wild night!" Clarke said while clinking their shot glasses together, each downing the liquid immediately.

"Should we find a high top?" Lexa asked. It was sometimes hard to find a private space where the group could stash their purses, get away from the dance floor, or just drunkenly chat together about anything and everything.

"Yeah, good call," Clarke said, following Lexa over to a table in the far corner of the club. She took a seat right next to Lexa and pulled out her phone to check for any messages. Lexa, on the other hand, couldn't think about much other than the scent of Clarke's perfume and the heat radiating off the blonde's body where their arms nearly touched.

Lexa let her gaze wander down Clarke's body for the second time tonight and lingered on the dark blue shirt she had on. It was tight, with 3 horizontal slits in the fabric just below the neckline which gave Lexa a tantilizing view of her best friend's generous cleavage underneath. The color brought out the blue in her eyes, and her eyes... they just seemed to sparkle tonight for some reason.

"Shots for all!" Raven exclaimed as she, Octavia, and Lincoln delivered the shot glasses to the table.

"Hey Lincoln!" Clarke and Lexa greeted him at the same time.

"Hello ladies, thanks for inviting me out tonight!" He responded with a smile.

"Well, we all know that O can't go more than a couple of days without seeing her bae," Raven said as she smiled brightly.

"With a bae this cute, could you?" Octavia answered and lifted herself on her toes to kiss her boyfriend. The rest of the table laughed, and now everyone had a shot in front of them.

"Bottom's up!" Raven shouts, as everyone at the table sinks their shot and slam the empty glasses back on the table. Clarke and Lexa gave each other a side look as if to say 'this is going to be a fun –and wild– night.'

Raven went back to the bar for another drink and to hit on the adorable guy sitting front and center at the bar, and Lincoln and Octavia headed over to the dance floor, leaving Clarke and Lexa at their table. It was always a good idea to keep at least one person back to watch their personal belongings, and it gave the two girls a time to chat.

"So Lexa, any interesting prospects on the horizon for you? In terms of a relationship?" Clarke asked point-blank.

"Um," Lexa faltered. "No, not really."

"Lexa, you've been single for... damn... probably longer than I've been single. What's the deal?" Clarke asked.

"I just haven't met anyone worth my time," Lexa responded.

"Whoa," Clarke said with raised eyebrows. "Snooty much, are we?"

Realizing that what she had just said could have come off as pretty bitchy, she explained. "I'm just so busy at work. I don't have a lot of time to spend looking for relationships."

"Ah," Clarke started, "you haven't found someone pretty enough."

"No Clarke, that's not..."

"I don't blame you, Lexa. You're hot. Most girls would be too shy to even talk to you let alone flirt with you," Clarke said very matter-of-factly.

Lexa cocked an eyebrow at Clarke's words and boldly says, "You're pretty, and you're talking to me."

"You know it, Woods!" Clarke congratulated herself on her good looks while Lexa rolled her eyes. "I suppose you expect me to ask you on a date then, huh?"

Lexa's eyes go wide at Clarke's flirtatious question, not knowing how to respond quickly. She swallowed hard and managed to come up with a witty retort.

"You would only be so lucky to go on a date with me," Lexa teased.

Clarke laughed heartily at Lexa's joke and noticed Raven and her adorable guy headed over to their table. Raven continued to flirt suggestively as the two sat down at the high top, and Clarke suggested to Lexa that they get another drink at the bar. Lexa reluctantly followed Clarke before excusing herself from the table and wonders what drink Clarke was going to make her suffer through this time. She was pleasantly surprised at the sight of two tequila shots on the bar, and they both took their shots quickly before heading out onto the dance floor.

Lexa was already feeling her buzz at this point, but it was a manageable buzz. She was still quite in the here and now, making sure she stayed that way during the dancing part of the evening. Clarke immediately found a handsome, athletic looking man with dirty blonde hair to dance with. Lexa's chest tightened slightly at the sight of them... dancing together... but pushed the feeling away so that she could find a dance partner of her own. A beautiful woman with auburn hair caught her eye, and the two gravitated towards each other until they were within arms reach.

Both couples immediately started dancing to the loud club music, Clarke with her back to her partner's front and Lexa with her front to her partner's back. They had a strange vantage point of being able to watch each other dance without being too obvious about it. Lexa happily used this to her advantage and let her eyes roam over the blonde again, seemingly not being able to think about anything or anyone else but her tonight.

Clarke swayed her hips to the beat of the song, and her dance partner eagerly pressed his hips up against her backside in time with the music. Lexa watched the blonde rock as she closed her eyes, absolutely losing herself in the rhythm of their dance. She stilled the her hips for a moment as the pounding beat gave way to another part of the melody that sounded like sirens being wound up and down. She popped her chest in small movements while her hips again found a languid sway before spinning around and trailing her hands down her dance partner's chest.

Lexa watched mesmerized at her best friend's body movements. She always knew that Clarke was a good dancer, but _damn_ was she a good dancer. The brunette almost rolled her eyes at herself for realizing she probably hadn't moved once against her own dance partner because she was so enthralled by Clarke dancing just feet from her. Her head snapped back into reality when the chorus of the song started booming in her ears, and she noticed Clarke exaggerate her movements once again as she picked up her dancing speed.

Lexa half-heartedly moved her hands up to rest high on the hips of the auburn-haired woman she was dancing with in a desperate attempt to appear as though she was having a good time with her own dance partner. The smaller girl delighted in Lexa's hands finally showing her a little attention, and she suggestively pushed her backside into Lexa's front. Lexa blinked at the hard move, and she tightened her grip on the woman's hips only so that she could push the woman away slightly.

Her mind reeled as she took in sight after breathtaking sight: Clarke flinging her hair behind her shoulder seductively, the way Clarke's lips were parted while she danced hard sometimes sneaking her tongue out to wipe some moisture on her bottom lip, her arms moving away from and then back towards her body creating the most tempting view of her cleavage. Lexa's heart skipped a beat as the blonde turned around in her dance partner's arms, and she could have sworn her heart stopped when Clarke's eyes flitted over to catch her own in a gaze that could only be described as playfully provocative.

Lexa knew she should look away, pay attention to her own dance partner and forget about the blonde beauty dancing in front of her, but she could not rip her eyes away from the girl. After a few times of looking away and then catching her Lexa's gaze again and again, Clarke realized that her friend was staring at her. Not only that but she barely looked interested in the woman who was unabashedly trying to grind herself into Lexa's body. In fact Lexa almost looked annoyed each time the woman moved herself against the brunette, and that made Clarke smirk the smallest of smirks.

The song was just about nearing it's halfway point, and Clarke's mind started racing. She had never seen Lexa looking at her quite like she had been while they were on the dance floor, and Clarke was loving every second of it. Her heart raced, and it felt like a kaleidoscope of butterflies was swirling around in her chest with every glance she took of the brunette. She had danced with Lexa before, and it had been nice. But there wasn't anything about their past dances that looked like something more than two friends would do. She wasn't sure why tonight was so different, but she was intoxicated by the feeling that something new was happening between the two of them. Something that felt wonderful was blossoming in her chest, and Clarke wanted to feel it over and over again until it left her breathless.

She turned to her dance partner and gave him a smile and a wink as if to say 'thanks for the dance.' Clarke's hand lingered on his, and he smiled back politely as she walked a couple of steps back and slowly turned towards Lexa again. She wasn't surprised when she saw the brunette looking back at her with a steady gaze. Lexa had almost completely given up on her own dance partner now that Clarke was alone in the middle of the dance floor, and her brain ceased all thought processes when she saw Clarke start to move again.

The bridge of the song began to play, a basic bass beat with snapping fingers was all the music pumping out of the speakers at the moment, and Clarke locked her eyes with Lexa's and began to slowly roll her hips to the beat and took one step closer to the brunette with each move she made. It was like an animal stalking their prey, and Lexa was positive that she couldn't get rid of her dance partner fast enough. Luckily the woman seemed to notice the intense staredown that was happening and quietly dismissed herself from Lexa.

Before Lexa could think, before she could even look away towards her retreating dance partner, Clarke was all but a foot away from her. Her hips still moving tantalizingly slowly, Clarke bit her bottom lip and put her best dance move to the test. She stepped into Lexa's space, and the brunette immediately latched her hands onto Clarke's hips. With one final movement, Clarke straightened her arms slightly and rotated her hips in quick figure-8 patterns to the beat of the music. In one quick swoop, Lexa's eyes traveled down Clarke's body to the spot where her hands rested on the blonde's undulating hips. Her fingers dug into pale flesh as a surge of excitement ran through the brunette's chest, down her arms, and out her fingertips.

Clarke's eyes widened as she felt Lexa's desperate grip on her hips, and she watched in amazement as Lexa bit down on the inside of her bottom lip while she watched her hips move. Her eyes slowly made their way back up Clarke's body, stopping for a beat too long at her chest, before traveling up the line of her neck and finally back into dark blue eyes. The blonde would have had the most perfect moment to put on her best smirk after witnessing Lexa's not-so-suble-check-out, but her mind was so clouded with absolute palpable desire that she simply started at the other girl through heavy-lidded eyes not knowing what would happen next.

Lexa's lips were parted, and she let out ragged breaths as her heart pounded in her chest. She flicked her eyes down to Clarke's lips, and Clarke in turn flicked her eyes down to Lexa's. The two met in a heated gaze again before Clarke felt herself leaning in closer to Lexa. Lexa shivered as Clarke whispered in her ear.

"Touch me," Clarke rasped.

"I am touching you, Clarke," Lexa replied into the blonde's ear. Clarke pulled away from Lexa slightly so that she could look into her eyes.

"Touch me more," she pleaded.

"Where?" Lexa managed to croak out.

"Anywhere," Clarke breathed out. "Everywhere."

Lexa's eyes dimmed and she barely suppressed a moan threatening to bubble up deep within her chest, and she tried to think of where she wanted to touch the blonde first. Before she could make a decision, the current song ended and and the two women stilled her body movements for a brief moment. A new song started and boomed dramatically into the thick air in the club. Their eyes remained locked for a few more moments before Clarke made the first move.

She moved a tiny bit closer to Lexa and pushed their hips flush. Lexa moved her left hand around to the lowest part of Clarke's back and moved her right hand up the blonde's side just reaching her ribcage. As hips began to move under her hands, Lexa started to match her own hip movements to hers and had to bite her lip again at the delicious sensation it was creating for her senses. She felt her cheeks darken, and she knew Clarke noticed by the way she was smirking ever so slightly at her.

She couldn't stop to think about it for too long before Clarke lifted her arms and draped them along her shoulders. When she felt Clarke's fingers brushing against her hairline at the base of her neck, Lexa closed her eyes and let out a soft moan. Clarke felt Lexa's moan vibrate through her chest and into her own, and she thought it was about the sexiest thing she's ever heard or felt in her life. She knew right then and there that she was going to make sure Lexa did that again... and again... and again.

The beat of the music became more intense, and Lexa took this opportunity to slowly lower her right hand back down past the curve of Clarke's hips to rest on the top of her backside. She looked into the darkened eyes as if asking for permission, and Clarke gave her an almost undetectable nod. With that Lexa pointed her fingers down and slid her hand down over the swell of her ass, cupping it as indiscreetly as possible since they were in a public location after all.

Clarke's eyelids floated down, and her eyes closed as her mind focused on the feeling of her best friend's hand on her ass. Her best friend's hand was on her ass. Without even thinking, Clarke slipped her thigh between Lexa's legs to trap Lexa's thigh between her own legs. Her core was throbbing, and her mind was screaming. Just as she lifted her eyes to look into Lexa's, Clarke felt the strong thigh between her legs move forward and grind against her center. Her hips with a mind of their own bucked into Lexa's and her lips brushed against the hollow of Lexa's throat.

As she heard another moan rip through Lexa, Clarke lowered her right hand down her neck and over her chest between her breasts. Another more breathy moan tickled Clarke's fingertips and, and she moved her eyes from where her hand was resting on Lexa's chest up to dark green eyes. Both women felt a jolt of electricity as their eyes met, and Lexa's hand instinctively squeezed the perfect ass her hand currently on top of. Clarke's eyelids shot up and the two women locked eyes as both of their mouths fell open.

Each set of eyes darted down to the others lips, and for a split second Clarke thought this was it. This was the moment that she and her best friend were going to kiss. But her consciousness managed to push through the clouds of lust whirling around inside of her head and pulled just an inch away from the taller girl. Lexa's gaze quickly snapped back up from Clarke's lips to her eyes, and she desperately tried to read the blonde's face. Did she do something wrong? Were they moving too fast?

"Let's get out of here," Clarke heard herself say. All Lexa could do was swallow hard and nod before she felt Clarke's hand slip around her own and lead her off the dance floor.

Clarke's head was spinning by the time they found themselves back at their table. Was this actually happening? Where were they going to go? What were they going to do?

"Back so soon, Princess?" Raven asked with a smirk when she saw her friends huffing their way back towards her and her adorable guy.

"Yeah, we're gonna take off actually," Clarke said as nonchalantly as possible. Lexa's eyes darted from Raven to the adorable guy to pretty much everywhere else around the bar as she tried to keep her calm. She couldn't believe, she actually couldn't believe that she was about to leave with Clarke Griffin to –

Wait. What were they going to do? Where were they going to go? I mean, she knew what she hoped would happen but was that really what was happening here? What if –

"What? Seriously?" Raven said, surprised. "Are you two already drunk? I swear you are such a lightweight, Woods."

"Fuck off, Raven," Lexa quickly shot back.

"Whoa, what got your panties in a twist?" Raven retorted.

Lexa's gaze shot over to Clarke and the two shared a awkward moment before they both began wildly blushing.

"I've got a headache, and Lexa..." Clarke trailed off "...has an early... day... tomorrow."

Raven narrowed her eyes as she looked between the two girls and finally sighed, waiving them off and saying she would see them later.

Clarke and Lexa let out a collective sigh after Raven finally let them off the hook, and they made their way out of the club to hail a cab. Lexa opened the cab door for Clarke, and Clarke got in and slid to the opposite side of the car to make room for Lexa to climb in after her. She faintly heard Lexa rattle off her address to the cab driver while her ears pounded with the sound of her heartbeat. She chanced a look over at Lexa and found her best friend's normally bright green eyes darkened with desire, and her heart nearly lept out of her chest. This was actually happening.

* * *

Lexa's head was pounding as she struggled to awaken. Her eyes were closed, but she felt the familiar softness of her own sheets hugging her exhausted body. Her head was tucked tightly between two overlapping pillows, and she felt the heat of her breath filling the small gap between her lips and the mattress. Slowly she lifted her head off the bed and plopped it onto one of the pillows, immediately enjoying the feel of the cool fabric beneath her rosy cheeks.

She cracked her eyes open, sensitive to the light seeping in through the thin curtains in her bedroom.

Her bedroom, she confirmed.

Not that she was used to waking up in other people's bedrooms very often, but she was fully aware of the blur of a night she'd had just several hours ago. Blinking a few times, her eyes finally adjusted to the light, she let out a soft sigh.

"Good morning," a raspy voice beside her startled her out of her thoughts and her head snapped towards the body beside her in bed.

"Clarke!" Lexa all but screamed as she clutched the bed sheets around her chest and flailed her body away from the blonde. She stopped breathing, and any words she was about to attempt to say got caught in her throat. Lexa's eyes widened about as far as they could go without actually popping out of her head as she scanned Clarke's body, trying with every ounce of her being to remember what the hell had happened last night.


	3. Chapter 3

Lexa was gripping the sheets around her chest like her life depended on it as she wracked her brain to figure out exactly how her best friend had ended up in her bed this morning. Her eyes darted around the room, and she caught glimpses of clothing on the floor taking particular note of the dark blue shirt Clarke had been wearing the night before. The very same shirt that she had imagined ripping off the blonde not hours before, now lying haphazardly on the floor by the foot of the bed.

"You said you weren't drunk."

Lexa's head shot sideways towards Clarke's voice, and she saw the blonde's eyes narrow on her.

"Yeah... well..." Lexa half-heartedly started, "you know me well enough to know when I'm lying."

Clarke rolled her eyes and huffed as she climbed out of bed. It was only then that Lexa noticed Clarke was wearing one of her tshirts, and she looked down at her own chest to see she herself was wearing a tank top. She loosened the death-grip she had on the sheets and lowered her hands slowly while she watched Clarke cross the room in search of her clothes. So neither of them were naked, but they were in bed together...

Interesting.

Clarke had been silent for a while, and she reached for her jeans that were crumpled up beside her dark blue shirt. She could feel Lexa's eyes on her as she slipped her pants on, one leg at a time, and could swear she heard the brunette audibly gulp as she inched up the pants over the swell of her backside. She grinned at the thought of Lexa checking her out until a small voice got her attention.

"Clarke," Lexa began, "I..."

"Can I borrow this shirt?" Clarke interrupted and pointed to the shirt she was wearing, suddenly feeling nervous about explaining last night to the confused girl. Blue eyes met green before Lexa nodded and Clarke reached down to grab her discarded shirt and bra. She pushed a few stray hairs behind her ear before tucking her bra behind the shirt she held in her hands and started towards the bedroom door.

"Clarke," Lexa tried again.

"Listen, I have to go," Clarke interrupted again, "but I'll talk to you later."

And that was it. Clarke hurried out of Lexa's bedroom and out the front door of her apartment as Lexa lay in bed, mouth open, as dozens of unanswered questions swirled around in her head.

What. The fuck. Just happened.

Clarke pushed the front door closed, and leaned up against it as she closed her eyes and let out a huge sigh.

What the fuck just happened.

 **Clarke: Are you home yet?**

 **Octavia: Yeah. Hung over. But home.**

 **Octavia: Where are you? Did you hook up with someone?**

 **Clarke: Long story. Bringing breakfast. Talk to you soon.**

Clarke let out another sigh and shoved her phone back into her purse before pushing herself off Lexa's front door and heading towards the market. She was definitely going to need copious amounts of fried pastries and strong coffee before having this conversation.

About 20 minutes later, Clarke unlocked her front door with coffee and donuts in hand. Octavia flew across the living room the second she honed in on the donuts and snatched the box from the blonde's hands.

"So?" Octavia asked as she opened the box. "Did you hook up?"

"I was at Lexa's," she blurted out. Better to just rip off the band aid.

"What?!" Another voice rang out from the other side of the apartment. Clarke looked over to a very tired but curious-looking Raven sitting up from under a blanket draped on the couch. She rolled her eyes, not happy to have an audience for this.

"What the hell, Clarke?" Octavia boomed while holding a chocolate frosting-covered donut in the air. "Did something finally happen between you and Lexa?"

"Finally?" Clarke asked, thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, Princess, finally." Raven chimed in, heading towards the donut box. "It was only a matter of time."

Clarke huffed a little and scrunched her eyebrows together as she tried to understand what exactly her two friends were implying. Did they seriously think that she and Lexa were something waiting to happen?

"Start from the beginning, girly," Octavia said as she took a bite of her donut. She pushed the box towards Clarke and waited for her to speak. Clarke sighed, took a donut from the box and shoved it towards her mouth. The stickiness of the glaze frosting coated her lips, and she took a swipe at them with her tongue before chewing the giant bite of pastry in her mouth.

"So you two left the club and then were together for the rest of the night?" Raven asked.

"Wait, they left the club together?" Octavia blurted out. Raven simply nodded her head as she took a bite of her donut and reached for Clarke's coffee cup to take a sip.

"Why is that so hard for you guys to believe?" Clarke interjected. "Lexa and I are best friends. I've been over to her apartment hundreds of times."

"Yeah, but you're being so weird about it. Clearly something out of the ordinary happened last night," Octavia said.

"Something _extraordinary_?" Raven asked while wiggling her eyebrows.

"Clarke," Octavia interrupted again. "Just... speak."

"Okay," Clarke started with a deep breath. "Last night at the club, we were dancing. Not together but with other people. It was all fine and good until I kept noticing Lexa staring at me."

"I bet she was!" Raven exclaimed. "That shirt you had on last night makes your boobs look so good!"

"And we all know Lexa is a boob girl," Octavia added with a smile. Raven nodded her agreement hastily and took another bite of her donut.

"Anyways," Clarke huffed clearly annoyed at all of the interruptions, "she kept staring at me, so I figured maybe she wanted to dance with me. Again, something we've done millions of times before."

"Okay, but what kind of dancing are we talking about here? Innocent fun dancing like 2 feet away from each other, or like grinding asses into crotches dancing?" Octavia asked in all seriousness.

Clarke tipped her eyes up as she recalled the night and opened her mouth to respond. After a beat, she answered.

"Somewhere in the middle maybe?"

"So a little bit of grinding but not dry-humping like Octavia and Lincoln were doing all night long?" Raven added.

"Hey!" Octavia shouted at the other brunette, who was now giggling into Clarke's coffee. "That's what happens when I don't get laid for two fucking weeks."

"You're like a horny teenage boy, O," Raven said before letting out a loud laugh.

"What ever happened to hot blonde guy last night?" Octavia asked Raven, seemingly forgetting about Clarke's current predicament. When Raven opened her mouth to respond, Clarke spoke up instead.

"Guys!" The two women whipped their heads to look at Clarke. "We're talking about me now, remember?"

"Right!" Raven said, "So you two were bumping and grinding on the dance floor... and..."

"And we decided to leave... together," Clarke started again. "I don't know why, but I just felt like... maybe... something was going to happen. Like... between us... like more than friends."

"Jeez, Clarke! You sound like you're in high school," Raven joked. She grunted when Octavia jabbed her elbow between her ribs. It was O's way of saying shut the hell up and let Clarke talk.

"So what happened when you got back to her apartment?" Octavia asked.

"It was so akward! We almost bumped into each other walking in the front door, then just stood around in her kitchen for a while making stupid conversation. I suggested we have something to drink, and she took out a bottle of wine."

Raven and Octavia managed to keep quiet as Clarke told her story, happily munching on their donuts and sipping their coffee while she spoke.

"We drank the entire bottle, and Lexa was clearly drunk at that point which is why I think she finally had the courage to try to kiss me... I think," Clarke trailed off as she looked to her friends.

"You think?" Octavia asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Well I thought she was leaning in, but I freaked because I knew she was drunk and I didn't want her to regret anything, so I pulled away and asked her if she was drunk," Clarke rambled. "She said she wasn't, but then she passed out."

Octavia hid a smile behind her coffee cup before Raven piped up.

"So you just crashed at her place and nothing happened?"

"Nothing happened," Clarke repeated while shaking her head.

"But you wanted something to happen?" Octavia asked while narrowing her eyes.

Clarke closed her eyes and let out a sigh before answering.

"Maybe?"

Her eyes shot open at the sounds of screaming from the two girls in front of her, and she couldn't help but grin slightly. They were her close friends after all, and their giddiness made her smile.

"Clarke, you should definitely go for it!" Raven exclaimed.

"Yeah Clarke, Lexa is _hot_ ," Octavia strongly agreed.

"You two would make beautiful babies," Raven stated matter-of-factly before taking a swig of coffee.

Clarke looked at Raven like she had just grown a second head before shaking her own head and speaking.

"This is a big deal you guys," Clarke said desperately. "Lexa is my best friend..."

As if on cue, Raven and Octavia both clutched at their chests feigning heartbreak.

"We're not your best friends?" Raven dramatically asked.

"No, coffee-stealer!" Clarke replied while reaching over towards Raven and taking back her coffee cup.

"Listen Clarke, it's a big step," Octavia assured. "But face it, you guys would be perfect for each other."

"She's the ying to your yang," Raven sighed.

"It's yin," Octavia corrected before Raven rolled her eyes.

"Seriously Clarke, you guys would be great together," Raven continued. "Plus she is fucking hot... how could you not have already contemplated banging her?"

"Seriously!" Octavia interjected. "I've thought about it, and I don't even swing that way!"

"Fuck you guys," Clarke huffed, feeling a sudden twinge of protectiveness.

"Whoa, calm down grumpy cat!" Octavia told the angry blonde.

"Yeah, we're sorry Clarke," Raven added.

"It's not just about sex, you guys," Clarke started, "She's one of my best friends. I just feel like it's a big line to cross... I mean, what if it doesn't work out?"

Raven and Octavia shared a look before Raven turned her eyes toward the blonde.

"Clarke, did you already fall for her?" she asked in all seriousness. "I mean before last night?"

Clarke stared at the brunette for a beat, then looked over to Octavia. Octavia widened her eyes she she waited for Clarke to respond, but all Clarke did was bury her face in her hands and groaned.

"Clarke, you have to tell her!" Raven exclaimed when the blonde didn't offer anything further.

"Tell her what?" Clarke shot back. "I don't even know what I feel."

"Bullshit," Octavia stated simply. "Face it Griffin, you wouldn't be freaking out this much if you didn't love her."

"Love her? Of _course_ I love her, she's my best friend!" Clarke emphasized.

"But do you love her? Like legitimately love her? As in want to date her, marry her, and have her babies?" Raven asked.

Octavia rolled her eyes but still looked to Clarke for confirmation.

"I think..." Clarke started out softly, "...maybe I could see... possibly... something... between us... happening."

"Oh my gosh, Clarke, then tell her!" Octavia urged.

"She will jump all over the opportunity to woo you, Griffin!" Raven reassured her.

"And then she'll jump all over you," Octavia said with a wicked grin spreading across her face. As if the grin was infectious, Raven immediately started giggling and Clarke found a grin of her own making its way to her lips.

"Shut up, O," Clarke shyly said.

"You totally want her to jump your bones, Griffin, I can see it on your face!" Octavia joked before erupting into a fit of her own giggles.

"Yeah, you've got it bad for the Commander," Raven chimed in. Clarke smiled brightly at the mention of Lexa's nickname. Anya had given her the nickname years before Clarke even knew Lexa, and they were both tight-lipped about where it actually came from. But somehow the mystery seemed to intrigue the group, and the nickname stuck.

Maybe she did have it bad for Lexa.

* * *

Lexa stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped snugly around her torso and reached above the counter to wipe the steam off the mirror behind it. She looked at her reflection for just a moment, wondering if she would find any telling marks on her skin from the night before. She found nothing, and it confirmed a bit more that nothing happened last night.

She's pretty sure nothing happened. Right?

The rest of the morning consisted of getting ready for the day, drinking about two more cups of coffee than normal, and resisting about every minute to pick up her phone and text her best friend. By about 10:00am, she finally relented and snatched her phone, flipping immediately to her text messages. Before she could type anything though, her phone started to ring.

"Hey," Lexa answered coolly.

" _Hey bitch, what's up?_ " Anya's voice on the other end teased.

"Not much," Lexa said, trying her best to sound calm and collected.

" _I heard you partied pretty hard at The Ark last night._ "

"Who did you hear that from?" Lexa wondered out loud.

" _Raven. I just got off the phone with her, and she told me some pretty interesting things._ "

Lexa stayed silent.

" _Like how you and blondie were practically humping each other on the dance floor, and then you took her home with you?!_ "

"Oh man," Lexa moaned, lifting a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose.

" _Speak._ "

"I don't know, Anya," Lexa started. "She was... I was... we were dancing at the club, and she looked... just... so... I couldn't take my eyes off of her."

" _And that's different from any other night, how?_ "

"Well, she was looking at me too! I mean, she looked like... I don't know... I was getting vibes from her or something."

" _And?_ "

"And she came home with me, we were totally awkward, I got drunk and don't remember the rest of the night."

Lexa felt her face heat up with the admission and heard Anya break out into laughter a moment later.

"What?!" Lexa practically shouted into her phone.

" _Chill Commander_ ," Anya reassured her. " _Nothing memorable happened between you and blondie last night._ "

"What? How do you know?"

"R _aven told me. She and Octavia had a long conversation with Clarke this morning, who wasn't piss-drunk last night, and she remembered everything._ "

"She did?" Lexa asked as she heard a knock on her front door.

" _Yes, now let me in so that I can see your ugly face._ "

Lexa quickly made her way to the front door and opened it to see a grinning Anya still holding her phone up to her ear. She had a cup of coffee in her right hand and her military pack thrown over her shoulder.

"What the hell, Anya?" Lexa asked with a huge smile on her face. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around the other woman, who responded by returning the eager hug.

"I'm on leave for a couple of weeks and thought I would be an imposition to you for a couple of days," Anya said with a chuckle.

"You're not an imposition," Lexa assured the other girl before stepping to the side and letting her through the front door.

"I miss seeing your ugly face around my apartment," Lexa said with a wide grin.

"Not as much as I love seeing your _way_ uglier face," Anya quipped as she let her pack drop to the floor.

Lexa rolled her eyes and smiled at the older girl, and they both sat down on barstools at the kitchen counter.

"So, tell me," Anya started as she slowly turned towards the brunette, "what the fuck went on in your head last night? This is the same Clarke Griffin you've been pining after for years now, right?"

"I haven't been pining after her, Anya," Lexa harshly corrected, but she knew all too well that her friend was right. "Okay, I've been pining."

Anya smiled and took a sip of her coffee and let the brunette continue.

"But I'm so deep in the friend zone with her, it's just never going to happen," Lexa continued. "I mean... if anything ever were to happen... it wouldn't happen."

"Well from what I head during my phone conversation with Raven, I wouldn't tend to agree with you at this current moment in time," Anya calmly responded.

"What?" Lexa snapped, thoroughly confused by now. Anya sighed.

"Raven told me that Clarke told her that from how she was describing your night last night, she doesn't think of you as being in the friend zone anymore," Anya stated.

"So what... something happened last night then? Between me and Clarke?" Lexa asked with wide eyes.

"No dumbass," Anya retorted. "You opened a bottle of wine, proceeded to get drunk on said bottle of wine, and finally passed out on the couch next to Clarke. She probably dragged your drunk ass into bed and just crashed at your place overnight."

"So nothing happened?" Lexa asked.

"Nothing happened," Anya assured her. "But it sounds to me like Clarke was seriously attracted to you last night and something probably would have happened if you wouldn't have gotten so fucking drunk."

Lexa whipped her head up to look at Anya with her eyes wide and mouth gaping.

"Really?!"

"Look," Anya started, "just talk to her. I can't tell you for sure what would have happened because I wasn't there... man would I have loved to have been there to see you act like a complete moron in front of her..."

"Not helping, Anya," Lexa huffed and stood up from her stool.

"Invite her to do something tonight. And then just... talk."

Lexa looked over at the older girl and contemplated for a minute before nodding.

Talk. Just talk.

That could work.

Right?


	4. Chapter 4

**** CHAPTER WARNING: Mention of suicide in this chapter. Nothing graphic. ****

 **Octavia: You coming tonight?**

 **Clarke: Coming where?**

 **Octavia: In Lexa's mouth.**

 **Clarke: Fuck you, O.**

 **Octavia: Sorry but that was just way too good to pass up. LOL.**

 **Octavia: Anyways are you coming to The Ark tonight?**

 **Octavia: Anya's back in town for a couple days.**

 **Clarke: Sure, I guess.**

 **Octavia: Sound a little less enthused, Griff.**

 **Clarke: Sorry, I'm at work, but I'm excited.**

 **Clarke: Anya always makes Ark outings interesting.**

 **Octavia: That's the spirit!**

 **Octavia: Oh, and Lexa's going to be there too. So wear something slutty.**

 **Octavia: I mean sexy.**

 **Clarke: See you tonight, O.**

Clarke sighed and pushed her cell phone back into her pocket before returning to work. This was definitely going to be interesting. She hadn't spoken to Lexa since 'the incident' as Clarke decided to call it, and she wasn't entirely sure how to approach her best friend about it. Which was silly because she was her best friend. Regardless Clarke's imagination had been working overtime today, and she wasn't sure whether she should be excited about seeing Lexa tonight or scared out of her fucking mind.

She pushed thoughts of Lexa away momentarily as she scanned over her patient charts for the last time before dropping them off with a nurse at the front desk. She was finally a resident at the hospital she'd spent countless hours being pushed to the limits as a surgical intern. The feeling of finally being able to put on those navy blue scrubs was nothing short of absolutely fucking amazing. She worked her ass off to get where she is, and she was so fortunate to have her mother, a fellow surgeon, and an army of friends support her for the entire ride.

She had made a few close friends at the hospital too. I mean, it was almost inevitable since as an interns you pretty much eat, sleep, and live with each other 24/7. But Clarke had definitely found her calling, a job that made her heart sing every day, and she was eternally grateful for that. Even if it meant being called in on her day off, which happened to be the case today.

"Hey Wells," Clarke greeted her coworker and friend with a smile.

"Hey Clarke," Wells offered with a dazzling smile of his own. "How are things?"

"Fine, I guess. Just finishing up for the day," Clarke said as she made small talk. "How are things with you?"

"Good, actually, I wanted to tell you that I got that job in DC," Wells grinned. "I just found out this morning."

"That's so awesome!" Clarke gushed as she reached to hug him. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Wells said with a huge smile as they broke from their hug.

"When do you leave?" Clarke asked.

"In about a month. I still need to find a place to stay and all that," Wells replied.

"I'm so going to miss you around here," Clarke sighed. "Who is going to torture the interns with me?"

"I'm sure you'll find someone suitable to replace me," Wells laughed. "Everyone loves torturing interns."

"This is true," Clarke agreed.

"Well, I won't keep you," Wells offered when he saw Clarke take off the stethoscope that hung around her neck. "We can start scouting for my replacement tomorrow."

"Sounds good, Wells. See you tomorrow!"

Clarke offered a small wave and a bright smile before she turned and headed towards the locker room to get her purse. She really was going to miss him. Wells had started as an intern on the same day as Clarke, and they quickly and easily bonded from day one. He'd actually asked Clarke out on a date once, but unfortunately she never saw him as more than a friend. Luckily he respected that, and the two continued their friendship just as before he'd asked her out.

If Clarke was being honest, Wells was – in theory – everything she would ever need in a husband. He was kind, loyal, he made her laugh, he respected her, he loved her. And she loved him. Unfortunately for Clarke, there was just no chemistry. Nothing that made her lose her breath or made her heart flutter. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her mom and dad had that, and she wanted it more than anything else in the world.

Clarke pulled into the parking lot of her apartment and her thoughts wandered off of Wells and back to the upcoming events of the night. Hanging out at The Ark was always fun, and she was excited to see Anya again. It had been about 8 months since the older girl had been deployed overseas, and the close-knit group of friends took her leaving pretty hard. In fact, there hadn't been a dry eye in the room the night before Anya flew out even after reminding everyone that she would be back before they all could even start to miss her. Clarke smiled fondly at the memory, and she trudged up the stairs to her apartment.

"Hey lady!" Octavia yelled over the music playing in the living room.

"Hey," Clarke responded with a smile. "Hey Linc!"

"Hey Clarke," Lincoln offered with a big smile and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"This one's a keeper," Clarke directed towards Octavia while she pointed at Lincoln.

Octavia giggled with agreement and looked up at Lincoln as he returned to the couch with two bottles of water in hand. He handed one to the brunette as he plopped down and turned to give his girlfriend a quick peck on the lips. Octavia smiled and without skipping a beat she hurled her leg up and straddled him, leaning down for a much more passionate kiss.

Clarke rolled her eyes and walked towards her bedroom.

"Don't mind me or anything!" the blonde shouted over her shoulder.

"Mmm, we won't," Octavia mumbled against Lincoln's lips.

 **Raven: Hey chica, you comin tonight?**

 **Clarke: Yep! Can't wait!**

 **Raven: Talk me up to hot blonde guy tonight, okay?**

 **Clarke: You don't even know his name?**

 **Clarke: Raven.**

 **Raven: Well... I was drunk, and I kinda forgot due to the drunkenness.**

 **Raven: But if you help me impress him, I will hopefully be screaming his name later...**

 **Clarke: Gross.**

 **Clarke: Plus you don't need me to help you impress him. Just be yourself and you'll hook him.**

 **Raven: Or I could hotwire a Ferrari and drive him back to my love lair!**

 **Clarke: On second thought, don't be yourself. Be me.**

 **Raven: Aw, you love me Griffin. Don't deny!**

 **Clarke: I do love you. Gotta get ready. See you tonight!**

 **Raven: See ya, chica!**

Clarke flipped to her main text messaging menu and clicked on Lexa's name. She hadn't talked to her best friend since she woke up in her bed this morning, and the brunette didn't seem to be making any extra attempt to contact her either.

 **Clarke: Hey.**

 **Lexa: Hey you.**

 **Clarke: I hear fun times are about to be had at The Ark with Anya tonight.**

 **Lexa: Oh, yeah. It's always a fun time with Anya.**

And you.

 **Lexa: We're going to Uptown for pizza before heading to The Ark. You're welcome to join.**

Clarke isn't sure why, but her heart skips a beat.

 **Clarke: I'll pass. I need to shower and get myself looking pretty.**

 **Lexa: Okay. See you at 10 then.**

Clarke tossed her phone on her bed and started stripping her work clothes off. She was a little tired after such a long day but was determined to have another great night at The Ark with her friends. Stepping into the shower, she let her eyes close and breathe in the steam before grabbing her shampoo bottle and pouring a little into her palm.

After thoroughly washing her hair and cleaning the grit from the day off her body, she hopped out of the shower and headed back into her bedroom. She gripped the towel around herself a little tighter as she leaned over her bed to grab her phone again.

 **Lexa: And Clarke, you always look pretty.**

* * *

"You always look pretty?"

"Anya, what the hell?!" Lexa screamed as she grabbed her phone out of Anya's hand.

"Are you losing your game, Commander?" the older girl teased.

"I'm not trying to have game, Anya," Lexa hissed. "I always tell her things like that. She's too hard on herself."

"Okay, you _seriously_ have no game," Anya started, "but you are sickeningly adorable to her."

Lexa fought back a smile threatening to break out on her face and turned herself back towards her closet. She was determined to make an impression on Clarke tonight – she just wasn't sure _which_ impression she would make. She knew Clarke put her in the friend zone pretty much on day one, but quite honestly she would rather have the blonde as a friend than nothing at all.

"I sound like the fucking poster-child for the friend zone," Lexa muttered to herself as she flipped through the clothes hanging in her closet. She decided on a pair of ripped light blue skinny jeans and a black tank top. Knowing that she would pair black heels and her black leather jacket with the outfit, she was confident about her look and headed into the bathroom to apply some more makeup.

"Holy eyeliner, Batgirl!" Anya exclaimed when Lexa emerged from her bedroom dressed and ready to go.

"Too much?" Lexa asked, suddenly worried about the amount of makeup she had decided on.

"Nooo," Anya drawled while shaking her head from side-to-side. "You look fucking _hot_."

"Hey, back off horny," Lexa snapped playfully as she held her palm up towards the girl.

"Hey, I'm just saying that if Clarke doesn't want to bang you senseless tonight then I might just have to," Anya quipped.

"Anya, gross!" Lexa exclaimed with a horrified look on her face. Anya was like a sister to her, and she mentally – and physically – cringed at the image.

"Have you friend zoned me like Clarke friend zoned you?" Anya retorted while feigning heartbreak.

"More like sister zoned," Lexa laughed.

"Okay, that _is_ gross," Anya agreed with a disgusted look on her face. "Let's go eat some pizza and stop thinking about us eating each other."

"ANYA!" Lexa squealed in disgust. "You are sick!"

"Okay, keep your panties on and let's go," Anya laughed as the two headed out of the apartment.

* * *

The loud bass from the music was already thumping inside The Ark as Lexa and Anya strolled up to the bouncer at the front door. They'd lost track of time and ended up getting to the club about a half hour later than Lexa told Clarke she would be there. Hopefully Octavia and Raven were already there keeping her company and they didn't have to wait in line for too long. Lexa knew she wouldn't hear the end of it from Raven otherwise.

The first thing Lexa saw as she stepped into the club was a head of flowing blonde hair, and her heart immediately jumped in her chest. Unfortunately when the owner of said blonde hair turned around, Lexa was disappointed to see that it was not her blonde. Not that Clarke was _hers_ , but it wasn't the blonde she was looking for and so desperately wanted to see.

She turned her head to the other side of the club and did see Clarke this time, and Lexa just about stopped breathing. Her beautiful blonde hair was styled in loose-hanging curls, looking softer than silk as it bobbed back and forth each time she talked or moved or laughed. Her brilliant white smile seemed to brighten the entire table where she was seated, and when her eyes landed on Lexa's they seemed to pierce through the crowd and bore into the brunette's soul.

What the fuck?

How did this woman have such an effect on her after only 5 seconds?

Clarke smiled sweetly at Lexa, who was too awe-struck to form a smile of her own, and felt herself being propelled towards the blonde in what seemed like an out-of-body experience. As she reached the table, she noticed Clarke was wearing a dress. But this wasn't just any dress. It was all white with delicate lace on top and a flowing skirt than reached a few inches above her knees. Between the dress, the flowing golden locks, and piercing blue eyes, Lexa could have sworn she was looking directly into the face of an angel.

She was fucked.

Lexa's mind started racing as she wondered how in the hell she ever thought someone this beautiful would ever be interested in her? No wonder Clarke Griffin put her in the friend zone so long ago. Lexa began to pull awkwardly at the bottom of her leather jacket as her self-consciousness got the better of her, but she was brought out of her thoughts by the blonde slipping by her side and snaking her arms around the nervous brunette's neck and enveloping her in a hug.

"You look hot, Lexa," Clarke cooed. "I love the eyeliner."

"Clarke..." Lexa started as she dropped her hands from the blonde's back, "I... you look... I mean... wow."

Clarke's cheeks turned deep crimson color that spread all the way to the tips of her ears at Lexa's muttering.

"I think you've officially rendered the Commander speechless, Clarke!" Anya laughed as she draped her arms around the blonde's shoulders, enveloping her in a strong hug. "And you do look hot, by the way."

"More like breathtaking," Lexa all but whispered to herself, but Clarke snapped her eyes over towards the brunette having heard the quiet compliment.

Anya smiled and nonchalantly walked away from the two girls and headed over to the table of her friends, getting welcome back hugs from everyone before sitting down.

"Lexa," Clarke started.

"Clarke," Lexa interrupted, "you really do look beautiful. I don't think I know any words that would do you justice actually."

Clarke's smile faded, and she looked into Lexa's bright green eyes for a beat before leaning in a placing a gentle kiss on the brunette's cheek.

"Thank you," Clarke whispered against Lexa's cheek before pulling back to look into her eyes. The love and adoration she found pouring out from the look that the other girl was currently giving her almost knocked the blonde clear off her feet.

She was fucked.

Clarke was the first one to move towards one of the high tops her friends had laid claim on and hopped up on a bar stool next to Raven. The girls gave each other quick smiles before the younger brunette craned her neck towards the bar in search of her nameless adorable blonde. Lexa took the seat between Clarke and Anya and leaned in to try and hear the conversations currently going around the tables.

"So _Major_ Carter," Octavia emphasized Anya's military rank, "how long will you be gracing us with your presence?"

"I have two weeks downtime before I have to head back," Anya told the group. "But I'm only staying with Lexa for a few days because I want to spend some time with my dad in DC."

Anya had had a rough life. Her mother died in a car accident when she was 14, and her dad absolutely fell apart after the loss of his wife. He withdrew completely from caring for his two daughters, and Anya had to step in as a mother figure not only for herself but for her younger sister as well. Just a few years later another tragedy hit the family when Anya's sister committed suicide, explaining in the note she'd left behind that she would never be able to get over her mother's death. This time it was Anya who took it the hardest, feeling as though she had failed to be the strong role model and mentor that her sister had obviously needed.

Enlisting in the military for Anya had been an act of desperation that turned out to be the best decision she'd ever made. She finally found freedom from her family tragedies and was able to make a new family with her fellow soldiers, and after years of hard work in the service she was finally coming around to herself again. Unfortunately her relationship with her father had suffered greatly over the past decade, but Anya and her father were finally in a place where they wanted to try and mend their broken past and become a family again. Whatever that might mean to them.

"But tonight I'm gonna be partying my ass off, so y'all better try to keep up!" Anya challenged the entire group.

"Something tells me we might just all die trying!" Octavia bellowed across the tables.

"Clarke!" Raven exclaimed. "There he is! Adorable blonde guy!"

"Well, go bring him here so that we can talk you up!" Clarke said with a smile.

Raven apparently didn't need to be told twice because she jumped down from her bar stool and hobbled over to the bar as quickly as the brace on her leg would allow her to. Clarke smiled as she saw Raven lay her charm on thick while flirting shamelessly with the man. She was wild, that one.

"Bottom's up!" Anya shouts as the waitress places a large tray of tequila shots in the middle of the table.

After emptying the tray full of shots, Anya declared to the group that it was high time they start shaking some ass on the dance floor and grabbed Octavia by the hand who dragged Lincoln behind her. The three of them weaved through the crowd like some kind of human train until they stopped at the edge of the dance floor and started dancing.

"So we've all been referring to you as hot blonde guy, but I'm like 99% sure that's not your real name is it?" Clarke broke the ice. Raven's eyes flew open as she snapped her head over towards the blonde who was innocently waiting for his answer.

"Kyle," the man said with a sparkling smile.

"I'm Clarke, and this is Lexa," she replied, pointing to the brunette sitting beside her. Lexa offered a small wave and a smile when he looked her way. "And of course you know Raven."

"I had the pleasure of meeting her last night," Kyle offered while turning his attention back to Raven. She smiled and let her shoulders slump slightly, almost like she was melting under his gaze.

"So our Raven here is quite the little genius you know," Clarke started gushing. "Seriously she's about 10 minutes away from solving the mystery of cold fusion."

Raven gave Kyle an exaggerated smirk and shrugged her shoulders.

"And how many geniuses do you know who have a body like that," Clarke added while gesturing up and down Raven's body.

"Brains _and_ beauty," Lexa added with a nod.

"Fortunately I got to know some of the body last night," Kyle said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "but I'm looking forward to experiencing some of this genius in the near future. Perhaps over dinner sometime?"

"I'd love that," Raven quickly responded through a cheeky grin. "Now that my friends' work is done, do you want to go dance?" Kyle nodded quickly, and the two disappeared hand-in-hand to the dance floor.

Lexa straightened a bit in her chair when she realized that she was about to be alone with Clarke, and the butterflies started flying around her stomach almost immediately. She was so curious to ask Clarke about what happened between the two of them last night, but the blonde was so flustered this morning that she was nervous about having the conversation once and for all. Clarke fidgeted with her hands for a second before turning to Lexa and clearing her throat.

"So should we talk about the fact that your hand was on my ass last night?" She asked the question as quickly as possible so that she wouldn't lose her nerve. Clarke saw Lexa's throat bob as she swallowed before opening her mouth to reply.

"Clarke, I'm sorry," the brunette immediately said. "I got carried away."

"Well, to be fair I was the one who asked you to touch me," Clarke said sheepishly.

"But I shouldn't have touched you... _there_..." Lexa deflected. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"No?" Clarke wondered. Lexa met the blonde's gaze for a moment and tried to think about how to respond. The truth is that she knew _exactly_ what she was thinking that night. She was thinking that her best friend, the girl she was crazy about, was right in front of her face asking for her touch, and she'd be _damned_ if she didn't give her what she wanted.

"Clarke," Lexa started while shaking her head and looking to her lap, "what happened last night? Why were you in my bed?"

Clarke huffed out a sigh, clearly annoyed that the brunette didn't answer her last question.

"We went back to your place for... well, I'm not sure what for to be honest," Clarke started as Lexa listened with rapt attention. "You suggested we open a bottle of wine, so we did."

Lexa nodded, remembering that part of the evening.

"We drank the whole bottle. You were... kinda... feeling the wine I think, and then you leaned over," Clarke hesitated, "to kiss me."

Lexa froze. She held her breath. She couldn't think. She just froze and waited for the blonde to continue.

"I stopped you to ask if you were drunk, and you said you weren't," Clarke continued. "Then you passed out."

"I what?" Lexa said, almost unsure of whether she heard the blonde correctly.

"You passed out. Like right that second. On the couch," Clarke clarified.

Lexa was humiliated. Her hands immediately came up to cover her face, which was now flushed bright red with embarrassment. How could she have made such a colossal ass out of herself in front of Clarke like that?

Oh yeah. Booze.

"Lexa, it's fine. You know... no harm... no harm done," Clarke stuttered over her words. The brunette lifted her head to dare a peek at Clarke before letting her hands fall back to her lap. She twirled her fingers around one another for a moment before speaking up.

"I'm an ass," she finally stated. Clarke couldn't help the smile forming on her lips but managed to stifle a small giggle.

"You're not an ass,"Clarke interjected.

"I'm the biggest jackass on the planet," Lexa continued.

"Lexa," Clarke said while reaching her hand over to place it on Lexa's forearm. "You're not."

"I can't believe I tried to kiss you when I was that drunk, Clarke, I'm so sorry."

"We're best friends, right?" Clarke asked honestly. Lexa winced internally before nodding. "Best friends do stupid things in front of each other all the time. It's not a big deal. You've seen me do enough stupid things for the both of us!"

Lexa chuckled at this, as the blonde was not wrong. There was the time she dropped her phone in the toilet and tried to dry it out by putting it in the toaster oven. Or that time when she was trying out being a vegetarian and she asked a waiter if there was any chicken in their chicken noodle soup. Or the other time when...

"Stop thinking about all the stupid things I've done!" Clarke said as she smacked Lexa's shoulder, which only caused Lexa to laugh harder. They did know each other. They knew each other so well that they could turn an awkward conversation (like the one they were just having) into a fun one in just a matter of seconds.

"So, are we okay?" Lexa asked timidly.

"What? Of course," Clarke reassured her. "As long as we're honest with each other, we'll always be okay."

Lexa just nodded.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Clarke nervously asked. "About last night? Like... why you tried to kiss me?"

Lexa's heart jumped in her chest, and she suddenly felt short of breath. She was about to open her mouth to say something... anything... but was interrupted by a strong voice behind them.

"Clarke!" A large voice bellowed, and Clarke immediately turned her head to see who was calling her name.

"Wells, hey!" Clarke said, straining her voice to sound enthusiastic. "What are you doing here?"

"Celebrating!" He exclaimed while holding up his beer bottle. "The new job!"

"Right!" Clarke understood now. "Well, this _is_ the best place in town for a celebration. Let me buy you another drink!"

Wells happily accepted and made his way over to meet the blonde at the bar. Clarke put a light hand on Lexa's shoulder and let her know that she was coming right back. Lexa waved her off, telling her to take her time. Lexa sat for a moment in silence, her mind reeling at the question she was just about to answer. She couldn't believe she had come so close to telling Clarke that she had feelings for her, and it made her even more nervous to think about _actually_ telling her at some point. Maybe she wouldn't have to? Maybe her crush would just go away? Maybe...

"Hey party-pooper, why are you and Clarkey being so antisocial?" Octavia asked though heavy breaths, clearly tired from dancing.

"She hates being called that," Lexa automatically corrected her. Octavia just raised her hands in surrender and took another gulp from her glass of water she'd presumably just got from the bar before heading over to the tables. "And we were just talking."

"About last night?" Octavia's eyes brightened. "Because damn, I can't believe that you almost kissed her!" Lexa's eyes widened, and she immediately shushed the brunette.

"Oh, everyone knows," Octavia responded immediately. "About the almost-kiss followed by the drunken pass-out." Lexa just closed her eyes and gave into her humiliation for the second time that night.

"Don't worry, Commander. She isn't mad about it or anything," Octavia reassured. "And I thought it was kinda cute."

"Cute? Getting drunk, trying to kiss my best friend, and then passing out before I could even make it to her lips?" Lexa shot back at her desperately.

"Yeah," Octavia agreed. "I mean, you just described like... my entire life in college."

Lexa rolled her eyes and sighed. Of course Octavia didn't think it was a big deal.

"But it _is_ a big deal," Lexa finished her own thought out loud. "I mean, what if I _would_ have kissed her? What if we would have done more, and then Clarke regretted it? What would have happened to our friendship then?"

"Whoa," Octavia said, her voice dropping an octave. "It sounds like you've been thinking about this for quite a while before last night even happened." Lexa just looked at her silently. "Lexa?"

"Listen, Octavia," Lexa started with a dismissive tone in her voice.

"Hey, I know this is usually the kind of stuff you talk to your best friend about, who just so happens to be Clarke," Octavia interjected. "Now I think we're pretty good friends, so why don't you just try talking to me about it?"

Lexa sighed.

"I like Clarke," she simply stated.

"Well, duh!" Octavia exclaimed.

"No, I mean... I like her... as in more than a friend?" Lexa clarified.

"I know, Commander. You didn't have to dumb it down for me," Octavia laughed.

"Does Clarke know?" Lexa asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

" _That_ is something you need to talk to Clarke about," she told her friend. "But you should, you know. Tell her. How you feel about her."

"I don't know..." Lexa immediately responded. "I don't want to ruin our friendship. She means more to me than anyone in the world."

"She definitely knows that part already," Octavia responded. "And if that's the case, I don't think you have to worry about your friendship. It's strong as it is. But... it wouldn't be fair _not_ to tell her your true feelings about her." Octavia downed the rest of the water in her glass and stood from the bar stool. "Just some food for thought."

Lexa knew that Octavia was right about one thing: Clarke did know that Lexa regarded the blonde as the most important person in her life. That in itself is highly comforting. But it also makes the introduction of romantic feelings about 10 thousand times more nerve-wracking, knowing that if something were to go wrong then a beautiful friendship could be ruined beyond repair.

She was fucked.


	5. Chapter 5

The following morning came much too fast, and Clarke found herself pressing the snooze button on her alarm for the third time as she desperately tried to find the motivation to get herself out of bed. Her talk with Lexa the night before had gone better than anticipated, although there were still a few questions left unanswered. Like why did Lexa try to kiss her the other night? And why did she ask Lexa to touch her while they were dancing? Clarke knew exactly what she had wanted in that moment, and Lexa didn't fail to deliver. She wanted to feel Lexa's hands on her again, if she was being totally honest, and the next time she hoped it would be in private while they held each other close and whispered each other's names.

"What the fuck," Clarke muttered aloud to herself as she chastised the passionate thoughts she was having about her best friend while lying in bed. She was fighting an internal battle with herself, as her heart told her one thing and her head told her another. This was her best friend, and Clarke didn't want anything to happen between them that would jeopardize their friendship. But this was also her best friend, the sexiest woman she'd ever known, and the thought of pursuing a romantic relationship with her excited Clarke beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Sighing loudly, the blonde swung her blankets off her exhausted body and pushed herself up from the bed so that she could shower and get ready for another busy day at the hospital. As the warm water cascaded down her body, Clarke thought about when she would be able to see Lexa again. Usually their schedules conflicted most days other than Thursdays, which was kind of the entire group's dedicated day during the week to hang out and spend time together.

 **Clarke: Want to meet for lunch today?**

The blonde hesitated for a second before sending the text to her friend, not sure whether Lexa was still feeling as uneasy as she appeared last night about the whole 'waking up in bed with each other' thing. Even though there were still some unanswered questions between the two of them, Clarke loved her friendship with Lexa. She was one of the most important people in her life, so it was natural for them to want to spend time together. What's why they sometimes made lunch plans, sneaking away from their busy days at work for an hour to chat and relax.

 **Lexa: I'd love to, but I'm having lunch with a client. Maybe tomorrow?**

 **Clarke: Tomorrow probably won't work for lunch, but we could do dinner on Monday after my shift ends.**

 **Lexa: Anya and I made plans since it's her last night in town. You could join us though, I'm sure she wouldn't mind.**

Clarke cringed. She hated being the third wheel.

 **Clarke: No, I wouldn't want to intrude.**

 **Lexa: Well, let me know if you change your mind.**

 **Lexa: Have a good day, Clarke.**

Clarke sighed and tossed her phone onto the bed, not bothering to respond. She wasn't sure why she was feeling annoyed, but she was. She just wanted so badly to clear up whatever it was that was going on between the two of them, and she didn't want to wait to figure it out. Clarke knew she was acting selfish, but it's all she could manage to feel this morning.

It looked to be a gorgeous day outside, so Clarke decided to walk to work. She wanted to stop at her favorite coffee shop before her shift started but noticed that she was already running late. The blonde grumbled to herself knowing that the hospital's nasty coffee would have to do the job for today until she could grab a cup on her way home.

"Good morning, Dr. Griffin," Harper cheerfully greeted Clarke as she walked by the nurse's station.

"Morning, Harper," Clarke responded with a smile on her face.

"How was your night out last night?" The woman asked with a raised brow. "Meet anyone?"

"Actually, I saw Wells last night," Clarke deflected the bubbly girl's question. "He's super pumped about the new job."

"I can't believe he is going to be gone soon," Harper said. "I always thought you two would have ended up together."

"He's a great guy," Clarke started, "but he's just a friend."

Harper nodded knowingly, and Clarke headed back to the locker rooms to change into a pair of scrubs and start her day. She was hoping for a lot of action in the hospital today to help keep her mind off of Lexa. It seemed to be the only thing going on in her head ever since that night – and that morning – happened. Checking the board for today's surgeries, Clarke was happy to see she was scheduled for a few which would definitely keep her busy for her entire shift.

Her first surgery of the day went well. It was a simple procedure to remove some excess scar tissue from a woman's chest cavity from a serious injury she had sustained in a car crash about 8 months ago. The second surgery Clarke was scheduled on was a bit more complicated, in that she would be assisting the Head of Cardio to replace a failing heart valve in a 74 year old man. She had done this type of surgery before, but it didn't mean she could get cocky about it. She had to bring her A-game to each and every one of these procedures, and she was determined to do just that.

It was about 2:00pm, and Clarke was exhausted from the heart valve surgery she had just assisted with so she grabbed an on-call room to take a quick power nap before heading to her final surgery of the day. Lying down on the hospital bed was strangely welcoming, but Clarke always figured the beds felt so good because the only time you actually wanted to use them was when you were dead tired, which Clarke was at this very moment.

*beep* *beep*

Clarke looked at her hospital pager, which showed the nurse's station number. She tossed it on the bedside table and flopped back down on her pillow, knowing that a page from the nurse's station was not usually an emergency. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths and enjoyed the silence for a few minutes before a soft knocking came from the other side of the on-call room door.

"What the hell do – " Clarke froze as she saw Lexa walking through the door holding a cup of coffee from Clarke's favorite coffee shop, the same coffee shop that she didn't have time to stop at on the way into work.

"Lexa, what are you doing here?" Clarke finally asked.

"I wanted to bring you coffee," Lexa said as she handed the blonde the cup. "I couldn't tell if you were mad at me since you kinda stopped texting me this morning."

"Oh no, I wasn't mad at you," Clarke reassured her friend. "I was just... disappointed I wouldn't be able to see you at lunch today."

"Oh," Lexa understood. "Well, what about tonight? Maybe we could have dinner?"

Clarke actually didn't have anything going after her shift, so that could work.

"I think Octavia is going to be at Lincoln's tonight, so you could come over to my apartment," Clarke offered.

"I'll cook?" Lexa offered back with a smile. They both knew that Lexa was the better cook, and Clarke always let her take control in the kitchen because of it.

"It's a plan, Woods," Clarke smiled with a playful look in her eyes.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you tonight then," she replied with a bright smile.

"Yep, see ya," Clarke smiled. "And thanks again for the coffee! The hospital coffee – "

" – sucks, I know." Lexa finished with a smile and a wave as she disappeared in the elevator.

Clarke smiled and took a sip of her coffee, humming as the wonderful taste filled her mouth, poured down her throat, and warmed inside her stomach. She was so happy that she wouldn't have to drink the crappy hospital coffee all day, and she was even happier that she would be having one of Lexa's delicious dinners in a few hours time. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Clarke let her keys drop on the kitchen counter with a loud clang and quickly scanned her apartment. Lexa would be over any minute, and she wanted to make sure things were at least presentable for the brunette who always kept her own apartment impeccably clean and organized. She threw some dirty dishes into the dishwasher and took a sponge to the counters before heading into the living room to organize a few magazines into a neat stack on the coffee table and cleaning up her sketchbook and random art supplies scattered around. When she got back to her bedroom, she head a quick knock and the sound of her apartment door being opened.

"Hey Clarke, I'm here," Lexa yelled out.

"Hey, be right there!" Clarke responded. When she got back to the kitchen, Lexa was busy unloading some groceries from a dark green canvas bag. She noticed a bottle of wine next to the bag and grinned.

"Planning a little payback, Woods?" Clarke teased as she glanced towards the bottle.

"No," the brunette huffed with a playful glare in her eyes. "I'm making pizza, and wine goes with pizza."

"Beer goes with pizza," Clarke replied with a furrowed brow. "Pizza and beer."

"My pizza goes better with wine," Lexa clarified. "It's authentic. Not like that cheap greasy mess you order from down the street."

"Hey, that place makes a damn good pizza," Clarke defended.

"Well if you actually believe that, then my pizza is going to blow your socks off," Lexa quipped as she tossed a ball of fresh mozzarella a few inches into the air and caught it again.

"Whatever you say, pizza master," Clarke said as she playfully raised her hands in surrender before turning towards the living room to find something they could watch while they ate. "You wanna watch something while we eat?"

"Sure," Lexa responded as she leaned over and dug through the cabinet for a pizza pan. "Something light."

Clarke flipped through the program guide for a few minutes while Lexa busied herself with rolling out the pizza dough and pressing it lightly into the pan. Not finding anything interesting, she flipped over to her Netflix app and started going through the new releases.

"How is there never anything good to watch?" Clarke huffed as she scrolled through page after page of movie titles. "I mean with five-thousand different channels to choose from and millions of movies on Netflix, you'd think there would be _something_ worth watching."

Lexa just smiled to herself as she continued to work on dinner.

"How about a Big Bang Theory marathon?" Lexa offered, knowing that the blonde had just bought the newest season a few weeks ago.

"Oh yeah!" Clarke practically screamed in response. "I totally forgot I had that! Good call, Woods."

Lexa just chuckled. She spun around the kitchen as she grabbed things from drawers and cabinets, knowing where everything was in the blonde's apartment. The brunette had spent years getting to know the space as she and Clarke grew closer, and it almost felt like a second home to her. They had joked on several occasions that Clarke might as well get Lexa her own key someday. The brunette felt her heart flutter at the thought momentarily before she refocused on the task in front of her.

"You need any help?" Clarke asked, suddenly back in the kitchen.

"You can get the salads ready if you want," Lexa responded before letting a sneaky grin lay across her lips. "That's something I know you can't burn."

Clarke let out a sound that was something between a laugh and a groan as she tried to keep a straight face. They both knew the blonde wasn't great in the kitchen, which Lexa always teased her about saying it's a wonder she doesn't cause more harm than good at the hospital seeing as she can't even make toast properly.

"I burnt the toast one time," Clarke snapped. "Won't you ever let me live that down?"

"You set the toaster on fire, Clarke!" Lexa snapped right back. "Your landlord had to replace the cabinets!"

"They were going to remodel the kitchens in our building the next month anyways," Clarke replayed for the brunette. "I just helped the process along a little..."

Lexa let a loud laugh billow up from inside her chest as she watched Clarke's face turn change from embarrassment to frustration before she rolled her eyes and broke open the bag of lettuce. She watched from the corner of her eye as Clarke grabbed two bowls from the cabinet and filled them with lettuce before finding some shredded carrots from her fridge to add to Lexa's salad. She plopped a few croutons (that Lexa had provided) on the top of each salad and stood back to admire her handiwork.

"Carrots, Clarke?" Lexa asked as her eyes widened, waiting for the other girl to explain why something even remotely nutritional was in her fridge.

"Octavia's," Clarke clarified. "Plus you like carrots."

"I do," Lexa simply answered.

The brunette smiled as she saw Clarke grind a bit of fresh pepper on top of the salad with the carrots, feeling quite pleased at how well the other girl knew her. Clarke carried the salads into the living room and set them down on the coffee table before heading back into the kitchen for some wine glasses. Lexa's gaze remained fixated on the other girl as she slowly moved into the space just next to where she stood making the pizza and almost jumped when she felt a light hand on her hip.

"Can you move, please?" Clarke asked, almost in a whisper, while Lexa's head was turned to the side and her eyes flicked down towards the other girl's lips. Realizing that she was standing just in front of the cabinet where Clarke kept her glasses, she quickly averted her gaze and moved just a step to her right.

"Sorry," Lexa mumbled, barely able to pronounce the simple word when she felt the warm pads of Clarke's fingertips brush against the smooth skin at her hip for just a split second.

The blonde reached up, grabbing two glasses in one hand and closing the cabinet door with the other. Lexa chanced a look over towards Clarke again, who had just turned around and shot an indiscernible look at the brunette before grabbing the bottle of wine off the counter and walking back towards the living room. Lexa sighed quietly before wiping her hands on a kitchen towel that she had laid on the counter beside her work station.

"So how was your lunch date today?" Clarke asked, breaking the silence.

"It was not a date," Lexa responded, not answering the question. Clarke waited in silence for a few seconds before lifting her eyebrows, cuing the brunette to continue.

"It was fine," Lexa shrugged. "Just a preliminary meeting with a city council hopeful."

"Does this 'city council hopeful' have a name?" Clarke asked, using air quotes as she spoke. Clarke wasn't going to lie and say that she didn't find it irritating when Lexa would dumb-down the political talk during their conversations. Clarke was smart, and Lexa knew it, but the brunette had always defended her simplistic responses to the blonde when they spoke about her job because she said most people she talked to had no interest in political discussions. And after Clarke would remind her for the umpteenth time that she 'was not most people', Lexa would sigh and finally discuss whatever it was without a filter.

"Eva Porter," Lexa finally answered and waited for Clarke to react.

"Eva Porter?" Clarke repeated slowly, her mouth remaining slightly agape even after she'd asked the question. "Eva Porter is running for city council?"

"Hoping to run, yes," Lexa answered.

Eva Porter was well-known in the community far before her involvement in politics. She was the same age as Clarke who knew this because she shared a school with each other for four years. Although they ran in different social circles, Eva was known widely around the University campus for a vast number of reasons. Most talked about was her wealth – her parents' wealth to be exact. Her father was a Fortune 500 business owner, and her mother had been a powerhouse in the New York political scene over the last fifteen or so years. But not only did Eva have deep pockets thanks to her rumored $30 million trust fund, she was also gorgeous and intelligent and very well-known for her romantic exploits with the hottest and richest and most famous men and women whom she deemed worthy of her time and efforts.

It made sense to Clarke that she was finally immersing herself into the political world as her mother had, but it didn't help the twinges of jealousy that had begun to fire off in the blonde's chest as she thought about Lexa and Eva sitting across from each other in some dimly-lit, classy restaurant while they discussed the start of their business relationship over a $200 bottle of wine and $100 lunch entrees.

"How long for the pizza?" Clarke asked, desperate to change the subject.

"About 10 minutes."

Clarke just nodded in response before suggesting they start on their salads while the pizza is cooking. Lexa happily agreed, as she was famished after a long day at work. They sat on the couch, chatting while they ate, and a feeling of contentedness washed over the blonde. She and Lexa had done this so many times before, and she loved it. She felt so at-ease with the brunette that even the worst of days could turn quite tolerable after finding herself in the presence of her best friend even if it was just for a short time.

"This is freaking delicious," Clarke said through a mouthful of pizza, feeling much more satisfied eating the cheesy comfort food rather than the healthy appetizer they'd finished just minutes before.

"I told you it would be," Lexa laughed before taking another bite of her own slice.

"You need to cook for me every night," Clarke said without even thinking twice. Lexa glanced over at the blonde and found herself relishing in the thought of spending every night with Clarke doing just this; eating dinner together, chatting, and enjoying the other's company.

"I think I'd enjoy that," the brunette heard herself say softly. "I mean... if it assures you don't start any more kitchen fires, I think the whole building would enjoy it too."

"Shut up," the blonde said as she shot a hand out to squeeze the brunette's side. Lexa violently flinched away, knowing that the blonde knew she was extremely ticklish. She held up her index finger towards Clarke as a warning, which earned her a hearty chuckle from the blonde. They finished their pizza and sipped their wine for a while longer before Clarke stood up to start cleaning their dishes off the coffee table. Lexa followed suit, and took her plate and salad bowl into the kitchen as well.

Lexa stood at the sink rinsing their dishes while Clarke went back to retrieve their wine glasses. The two shared a silent smile before Clarke proceeded to refill her glass and took a quick sip of the dark red liquid while she watched the brunette slip the last plate into the dishwasher before closing it gently.

"Would you like another glass?" Clarke asked, to which the brunette simply nodded.

She put her own glass down before sliding Lexa's over towards the wine bottle. Clarke wasn't sure why, but her head was pounding with her own heartbeat as she watched the dark liquid splash around the sides of the glass while she poured it. The stillness of the night had finally come upon them, and Clarke felt conflicted with a sense of calmness all around her and confusion going on inside her. She took each of their glasses in her hands and turned towards Lexa, slowly closing the distance between them. She extended the brunette's glass to her, which Lexa gently lifted out of her hands.

Clarke slowly leaned back onto the edge of the kitchen counter, and Lexa found herself propped against the corner of the counter just to the right of the blonde. They stood in comfortable silence sipping their wine while Lexa occasionally glanced up at the profile of Clarke's face, wondering what the blonde was thinking about at this very moment. Before she could look away this time, Clarke turned her face towards Lexa and the two held each other's gaze for a few long seconds. Lexa was the first one to break it, as she felt her eyes flick down to Clarke's lips before glancing up to find her eyes again. Much to her surprise, she saw the blonde looking at her lips for a split second before catching her gaze again. Unable to stop herself, Lexa found her eyes fluttering back down to Clarke's lips for another moment before swallowing hard and looking back into sparkling blue eyes that were just feet away.

Clarke watched as Lexa shook her head a few times, barely even moving it at all, like she was trying to refocus her mind on something else. As she bit the inside of her lip and felt her heart start to race, the blonde turned her body towards Lexa's and stepped up to her. Clarke reached over and took the other girl's wine glass from her hand and placed them both on the counter with a quiet clink before gently resting her own hands atop the counter on either side of the brunette's body. Their eyes connected for a few more seconds before Clarke lifted her hands, sliding them into Lexa's dark wavy hair and leaning forward to connect their lips.

The kiss was soft and tender and only lasted a moment before Clarke pulled her face back to look Lexa in the eye. The brunette looked stunned, and her eyes were wide in awe of what had just happened. Had she imagined it? Did her best friend, the woman she cared for more than anyone else in the world, just kiss her like she had dreamed of so many times before? She felt the blonde move forward again, and their foreheads connected for a brief moment before Lexa felt Clarke's lips on hers again. The brunette was a little more prepared for it this time, and she settled her hands on the blonde's hips as their mouths entwined for the second time.

With a small exhale of breath from her nose and a slight dip of her head towards the right, Lexa initiated a slightly more forceful kiss and felt her fingers clench down onto the blonde's hip as their lips pressed harder against each other. Clarke pulled away just an inch, and Lexa took the opportunity to tip her head to the left and deepen the kiss. When they pulled away again, their lips twisted together tugging on one another as Lexa changed the angle of the kiss back to the right. Her hands slipped from the curve of Clarke's hips to the small of her back, and Lexa felt the blonde sigh as their bodies pressed fully together.

"Clarke," Lexa heard herself whisper against the blonde's lips.

Another gentle kiss.

"What are we doing?" Lexa whispered again. Her heart was pounding in her chest and in her head and in her hands as she held the blonde close to her, not wanting this moment to end but needing to know what was happening.

"Kissing?" Clarke said against the brunette's lips.

Another lingering kiss.

"Since when do best friends kiss each other like this?" Lexa asked quietly, and Clarke pulled her face away far enough so that they could look into each other's eyes.

"Since we started seeing each other as more than just best friends," Clarke responded just as quietly.

"When was that?" Lexa asked honestly as she held her gaze with the other woman. Clarke let her hands drop from Lexa's hair and slid them down slender arms until her palms cupped the brunette's elbows.

"Well, for me it was the night you grabbed my ass on the dance floor."

Lexa looked into the familiar blue eyes for a moment before she flicked her own gaze down at the smirk crawling across Clarke's lips. The brunette felt herself start to smile before lowering her mouth to recapture the blonde's lips between her own again. She felt Clarke gently tug at her elbows, urging the woman closer as if they could even get any closer. Taking it as an invitation, Lexa re-positioned her mouth and moved her bottom lip to let it slip between Clarke's. When she felt the blonde's velvety tongue trace along the length of her lip, she heard herself moan softly before hearing the distinct sound of a key sliding into a lock.

The two women broke apart like the other was on fire, and both silently cursed Octavia's terrible timing as they watched the visibly annoyed woman storm through the front door of the apartment. She slammed the door behind her and dropped her keys to the counter with a loud clatter and huffed out a loud sigh. Lexa had dropped her head towards the floor and was pressing her lips together, trying to smooth out the feeling of any excess chapstick that may have been left by the blonde during their unexpected kiss. She noticed as Clarke ran a hand through her blonde curls before subtly wiping a finger over her lips, presumably doing the same thing. The two women stood silently and waited for Octavia to speak, neither of them trusting their own voices to work at this moment.

"Why are guys so fucking dumb?" she finally blurted out. "Lincoln's acting like our one year anniversary is no big deal. I asked him what he had planned for this weekend, and he just shut down – got all quiet – like he forgot or something!" The brunette huffed a few breaths out, expecting one of the two girls standing in the kitchen to say something, but neither of them did. "Earth to Lexa and Clarke?!"

"Sorry, O," Clarke finally said.

"That's it?" Octavia asked, clearly unimpressed.

"Well, if I tried to stand up for him then I'd be being a bad friend to you," Clarke explained. "So I'm trying to be... sympathetic to you?"

Octavia seemed to accept that answer but still didn't seem any less pissed than when she came storming into the apartment. She moved towards the freezer to take out a pint of ice cream and grabbed a spoon from the drawer. Just before she was about to head back toward her bedroom, she stopped and reached over grabbing the opened bottle of wine and took that with her too. It wasn't until the angry brunette disappeared with a loud slam of her bedroom door that Clarke looked back at Lexa. They shared a silent gaze for a moment before Clarke spoke up.

"Should we start up our marathon again?" the blonde said pointing towards the living room. Lexa nodded, and the two of them walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to each other as they started to watch another episode. Both women wanted nothing more than to finish that kiss, but that definitely wouldn't be happening with Clarke's roommate brooding in her room. The two shared a sigh as they stared forward at the episode starting, suddenly not really interested in watching anything on the television.

* * *

When Clarke woke up, she found herself lying down along the full length of her couch and feeling a warm body behind her in roughly the same position. Lexa's arm was draped over the blonde's waist, and their ankles were tangled together at the other end of the couch. When Clarke felt the brunette stirring, she knew that she was waking up too. Clarke carefully shifted onto her other side so that the two women were now facing each other. Lexa's arm was still around the the blonde's waist, and she used it to lightly push their bodies together even more.

"Hi," Clarke said quietly with a small rasp in her voice.

"Hi," Lexa repeated, not knowing what else to say. They looked at each other for a moment before Clarke spoke up.

"It's getting late," she said.

Lexa simply nodded in understanding but did not attempt to move from her position on the couch, so close to Clarke, still holding her tight. Tired blue eyes met piercing green eyes for a few long seconds before Clarke moved forward and brushed her lips against Lexa's just once. It was meant to be a goodbye kiss, and the brunette understood as she moved to stand up from the couch and gather her things to leave.

Lexa grabbed her purse and keys, telling the blonde to keep the extra groceries she'd brought over for the pizza as she headed towards the front door of the apartment.

"Text me when you get home?" Clarke asked.

"Of course," Lexa answered, standing in the threshold of the front door.

Clarke leaned up against the wall next to the front door and looked over at the beautiful brunette waiting to leave. "Goodnight, Lexa."

"Goodnight, Clarke."


	6. Chapter 6

Lexa opened her eyes, barely needing any time to register the bright sunlight streaming through her curtains on the windows in her bedroom. She felt awake, she felt alive, and it was all thanks to Clarke Griffin. They had shared a kiss two days ago – a few kisses actually – and as Lexa remained lying on her bed this morning, she could have sworn that she was actually on a cloud still drifting between dreamland and reality.

The brunette smiled as wide as her lips would allow as she moved her body into a long and languid stretch before hopping out of her bed and heading straight towards her bathroom to take a shower. As the hot water poured down and the steam billowed up, Lexa found herself humming cheerfully while swaying back and forth as she lathered up her long brunette tresses with coconut lime scented shampoo. The familiar aroma filled her senses, and she took a deep breath letting the scent linger in her nose before letting out a contented sigh.

Was she going to have a hard time thinking about anything other than Clarke Griffin today.

As she pulled a soft blue dress shirt around her shoulders, Lexa's mind wandered back to that night they'd shared dancing in the club together. If it hadn't have been for that night, the brunette wondered how long it would have been until she finally told the blonde how she felt. Would she have even told her? The question echoed in the Lexa's ears, and she felt a look of sadness flash across her own face. She always took that road – the road of hiding from her feelings in some vein attempt to shield herself from future heartbreak. But suddenly, she found herself hoping that maybe life was about more than self-preservation. Maybe life was about more than just surviving. As she pulled on her navy blue pencil skirt and fitted it properly along her waist, Lexa chuckled quietly at her tragically poetic thoughts before letting herself lighten again with the memory of Clarke's lips on her own.

A quick breakfast of toast and a glass of orange juice would have to suffice for the morning as the brunette noticed she was running a few minutes behind her normal time. There was always a fresh pot of coffee ready for her at the office in case she forgot to stop off for a cup or it was just one of those days that she needed an extra boost. She grabbed her briefcase, slipped on a pair of black heels, and headed out of her apartment feeling confident and ready to face the day.

"This is Lexa," the brunette spoke with a professional tone in her voice as she answered a call from an unknown number on her cell phone.

" _Good morning, Lexa. It's Eva_ ," the voice on the other end of the line cooed.

But why was Eva Porter calling Lexa on her cell phone and not her business phone? A moment later, it clicked. At the end of their lunch meeting, Lexa had given Eva her business card and scribbled her cell phone number on the back for a reason she actually wasn't too sure about even at the time she'd written it.

"Miss Porter," Lexa replied formally. "To what do I owe the pleasure of speaking with you this morning?" The brunette rolled her eyes at herself as she practically heard the woman on the other end of the phone smirk.

" _I was hoping we could meet this week to discuss in more detail the... working relationship... I can expect to have with you during this election year_."

"I'm sorry," Lexa hesitated, "I'm not sure I understand."

" _Your assistant received a signed contract from me this morning. It seems that you and I will be seeing a great deal more of each other in the coming months._ "

"I am very excited to hear that you decided on allowing our firm to represent you. I can assure you that you won't be disappointed," Lexa rambled in an all-too-familiar speech she usually recites to new clients.

" _Rest assured Lexa, I always make sure that I'm never disappointed_ ," the low voice challenged.

"Well, I'm more than happy to schedule a meeting with you this week," Lexa gracefully moved past the woman's last comment. "I'll have my assistant contact you."

" _Alright, I will be looking forward to our next meeting_."

"As will I," Lexa quickly responded. "Have a wonderful day."

Lexa heard the line go silent before pulling the phone away from her ear and ending the call. Well, this was going to be interesting. Eva Porter was a known figure in the community, and her family was influential to say the least. It was an honor for someone lucky enough to be representing the city council hopeful, but for some reason Lexa felt uneasy at the thought – almost uninterested. It was true that Eva was a powerful woman, but she knew all too well from her experience in the political world that power sometimes meant trouble. And Eva Porter seemed to be the epitome of it.

"Good morning, Aden," Lexa directed towards her assistant as she pushed through the large glass doors of her office.

"Good morning, Lexa" the young man responded with a small smile. The young man Lexa had hired as her assistant just months ago had already proven himself to be one of the best decisions the brunette had ever made. He was just barely eighteen, and his eagerness to learn along side one of the best young political lawyers in the state permeated through every one of his actions both on and off the clock.

"Can you please contact Eva Porter right away to schedule a meeting this week?" Lexa asked.

"Of course," Aden responded, immediately scribbling down notes on the calendar covering his desk. "Should I reserve a conference room?"

"Yes," Lexa agreed. They had already had an informal meeting at a fancy restaurant Lexa normally took her potential clients, but she preferred follow-up meetings to be held at the office during business hours so that she had every resource she might possibly need just a step away.

"Is there anything else?" Aden politely asked as he raised his head to look up towards his boss through stormy blue eyes.

"That's all for now," Lexa answered with a smile.

She barely got through the door of her own office before being followed in by her assistant, steaming cup of coffee in his hands. He was so observant, and every time he noticed Lexa come in without a cup of coffee in hand he would bring one straight into her office without even needing to be asked.

"Thank you," Lexa said as she rounded her desk and deposited her briefcase onto its surface.

"You're welcome," was all the young man offered before returning to his own desk and resuming his work.

Lexa pulled out her phone and set it on her desk before firing up her computer and unloading the files from her briefcase. She let her mind wander back to a particular blonde and felt her heart jump, suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to hear her voice. It was especially cute in the morning, Lexa thought, when it was heavy with sleep and more raspy than normal. She felt her lips curl into a smile as her head continued to replay the moment she'd had with Clarke the night before until she caught Aden's gaze through the open doorway. He offered another small smile, almost appearing embarrassed that he had been caught looking over at her, before he quickly turned his head back to his computer screen.

 **Lexa: Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?**

 **Anya: I was sleeping, thank you very much.**

 **Lexa: Aren't army brats supposed to wake up at the ass-crack of dawn?**

 **Anya: Not me. I'm one in a million.**

 **Lexa: That you are.**

 **Lexa: You still haven't answered my question.**

 **Anya: I'm still trying to get back to sleep.**

 **Anya: Ugh, you ruined it. Now I'm up.**

 **Lexa: Good. Where are we going tonight?**

 **Anya: Somewhere with good food.**

 **Lexa: That's not a helpful answer at all.**

 **Anya: I don't care, you pick. Take me someplace nice.**

 **Lexa: Only if you promise not to inhale your food.**

 **Anya: Army habits die hard.**

 **Lexa: Yet you still can't get yourself up before 9am?**

 **Anya: Nope. I love sleep, and sleep loves me.**

 **Lexa: Maybe you should marry it then.**

 **Anya: Maybe you should marry your face then.**

 **Lexa: What does that even mean?**

 **Anya: I don't know. Don't expect wit from me before 11am.**

 **Lexa: So only snark before 11am. Got it.**

 **Lexa: Heaven help whoever ends up with you.**

 **Anya: Shut it, woman.**

Lexa chuckled to herself at the quick back-and-forth and thought about where she and Anya should have dinner tonight. The brunette would be lying if she said that she wasn't slightly disappointed that she probably wouldn't be seeing Clarke until the weekend. There was nothing more Lexa wanted to do than pick up that kiss where they had left off. Of course, she knew it would be that easy. Even though they'd had a moment together in the blonde's kitchen the night before, Lexa knew they would have to talk about them – their relationship – before anything else happened again.

"Lexa, Mr. Delaney is on line one," Aden brought the brunette out of her thoughts. She nodded and reached for her phone as Aden ducked out of the doorway to her office. She took a deep breath before picking up the receiver and beginning her long day of phone calls, meetings and endless paperwork.

* * *

"What the fucking hell?" Octavia screamed at her phone. Clarke craned her head over the top of the couch to see what her roommate was freaking out about and noticed that she was looking down at her phone in disbelief.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked, situating herself to sit up straight.

"Lincoln just texted me saying that he picked up an extra shift this Saturday. On our anniversary!" Octavia wildly gestured towards herself. "Like what the actual fuck?! We were going to spend the day together! This whole weekend is going to hell."

"Maybe he's taking you somewhere really fancy for dinner and needs the extra cash," Clarke offered, trying to comfort her friend.

"He knows I don't need anything fancy," Octavia fired back. "Plus it's highly unlikely he would even want to take me anywhere fancy for our anniversary since he's acting like it's just any other fucking day of the week!"

"Why don't we have a girls day then?" Clarke offered. "You, me, Lexa, Raven. We'll have brunch!"

"Fine," Octavia muttered, trying to hide the smile threatening to spoil the fact that she loved how excited Clarke had just gotten from mentioning brunch.

"I'll text the girls and let them know," Clarke said as she settled back into the couch and pulled out her phone.

 **Clarke: Saturday is a go.**

 **Clarke: Tony's Café, 11am.**

 **Lexa: Sounds good.**

 **Raven: Roger that!**

Clarke looked at the group text for a moment before flipping over to a private message thread between her and Lexa. Her fingers hovered over the screen for a few long moments as she thought about something, anything she could text to the brunette. She wanted to tell her how much she dreamed about her last night. She wanted to tell her how much she missed her since she left. She wanted to tell her how much she loved feeling her lips against her own. She wanted to tell her that it's all she could think about.

She locked her phone with a huff and tossed it to the cushion beside her. She wasn't sure what the hell even happened between the two of them last night, so she couldn't possibly start talking about it over text. Clarke reached for her sketchpad and the pencil she held in her hand started flying over the blank page as she buried herself in her thoughts. Maybe a little bit of drawing before her shift at the hospital would help pass the time and quiet her mind. She lost herself in her drawing for a moment until the vibrating of her phone drew her back out.

"Hey mom," Clarke said into the phone, after reading her mother's number on the screen.

" _Hey sweetie. I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out of town for a few days_."

"Really?" Clarke asked as she scrunched her eyebrows together. "Where are you going?"

" _I'm actually flying to Minnesota to lead on a special case at the Mayo. We have a couple days prep before the surgery on Thursday, but I should be back Friday afternoon_."

"Congrats," Clarke said, knowing that leading any special case at the Mayo was a big deal. "As long as you're back for Saturday, it's all good."

" _Wouldn't miss it for the world. That girl is like a third daughter to me_."

"And who's your second daughter?" Clarke questioned.

" _Lexa of course! I swear, you two are joined at the hip_."

Clarke feels herself blush at the comment and can't seem to form a sentence before hearing her mother speak again.

" _I can't wait to see her this weekend. It's been too long_."

"Yeah, it has," Clarke finally managed to respond.

" _Anyways, I'd better let you go honey. I just got to the airport_."

"Okay, good luck... and you better be back by Saturday!" Clarke warned her mother.

" _I will, sweetie. I love you_."

"Love you too, mom."

Clarke settled back into her drawing quickly after hanging up with her mother. She was so proud of her mom's dedication to her career, and the fact that nearly every hospital in the country would fly her out for so much as a consult was just another motivation for Clarke to give everything she had to further her own career and perfect her own work. She was an incredible role-model, and Clarke often looked to her for inspiration.

Almost a quickly as she had started, Clarke found herself putting the finishing touches on her drawing. She admired it for a moment before flipping the sketchbook closed and heading into the kitchen to make herself a quick power-snack before her long evening at the hospital. She had switched her shift at the last minute after finding out that Lexa and Anya would be busy all night, knowing that she could easily pad on a few extra hours at the end of the night to fit in some medical research as things around the hospital usually started to quiet down.

Clarke finished making her peanut butter sandwich and wrapped it in a napkin before grabbing her keys and heading towards the door. She glanced over at the bowl of fruit on the counter, rolled her eyes, and picked up an orange. Maybe Octavia's healthy eating regimen was rubbing off on her more than she thought. The blonde smiled to herself and pushed her way out of her apartment hoping that all would go smoothly at the hospital tonight.

* * *

"This place is _amazing_ , Lexa," Anya said for the second time that evening.

Lexa simply smiled across the table at the other woman who was contentedly shoving tortellinis in her mouth, one after the other without so much as stopping for one second to chew.

"The food is incredible!" Anya continued to gush. "I mean, it's fucking _incredible_!"

"Okay, Anya," Lexa said, "the food is incredible here."

"It's _fucking_ incredible!" Anya echoed. "This would be an great place to take a date, Commander."

Lexa blushed and looked down at her own food.

"Oh..." Anya started as she squinted at the brunette over at her friend, "Is that what's happening here?"

"Absolutely not," Lexa immediately responded as her head snapped up with attitude.

"Because I just need to know what you're expecting from me this evening. I mean if you're buying me dessert, am I obligated to put out?" Anya joked, knowing that she would get a rise out of the younger brunette.

"No, Anya!" Lexa hissed. "This isn't a date, you're not putting out, end of creepy discussion."

"Relax, Commander," Anya stated. "I know you have the hots for blondie."

"Her name is Clarke," Lexa corrected her friend. Anya remained silent, waiting for some other kind of defensive statement for Lexa to fling back at her in regards to the friendship that was going on between Clarke and the brunette. But Lexa said nothing. Anya cocked an eyebrow and waited for the other girl to say something, anything.

"We... sort of... kissed," Lexa offered.

"You sort of kissed?!" Anya almost shouted.

"Shhhh," Lexa tried to quiet her friend before the continued this conversation in this very public place.

"So did you 'sort of' kiss or actually kiss?" Anya asked, this time her voice a decibel or two softer.

"We kissed," was all Lexa offered this time.

"Okay... so what does this mean?" Anya tried to understand. "Are you two... together now... or?"

"No, we just kissed. Octavia came home and interrupted, so we went back to watching TV, and I left after," Lexa said as she shrugged her shoulders a few times, tying to appear far less flustered about the situation than she actually was.

"After what?" Anya asked while she dipped her chin down and widened her eyes.

"After the TV show was over," Lexa blandly clarified.

"Woods," Anya started...

"Don't start, Anya," Lexa jumped in, knowing that some kind of smart ass comment was just moments away from spilling out of her friend's mouth. "Just don't start." Anya closed her mouth and refrained from speaking again until the brunette opposite her regained a little composure.

"She said she started seeing me as more than a friend when I... after I..." Lexa trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed about what she was trying to explain.

"After you..." Anya raised her eyebrows and waited for her friend to continue.

"After I... grabbed her ass on the dance floor," Lexa all but whispered out, her lips barely moving as she spoke.

" _ **You grabbed her ass on the dance floor**_?!" Anya actually shouted this time and dropped her fork to her plate with a loud clang.

Everyone within the vicinity of the two woman stopped all conversation to look over at them, some diners smirking or snickering as Lexa's face lit up with a dark pink blush. The brunette shifted back in her chair and awkwardly lifted her left hand, letting the tips of her fingers lightly rest on her heated forehead in a vein attempt to hide her face. Anya straightened herself and picked up her fork to gently place it beside her plate. She licked her lips and swallowed intentionally before looking up at her embarrassed friend and apologizing.

"Sorry," she started slowly and quietly this time, "Raven didn't tell me anything about an ass grab, and it just took me by surprise."

"I could kill you right now," Lexa hissed, desperately trying to control the blush still splayed across her cheeks.

"Kill me after dinner," Anya tried to lighten the mood. "Fewer witnesses."

Lexa just rolled her eyes and let out a huff as she felt the heat on her face slowly dissipating.

"Okay, but I still need to piece this all together," Anya got back to the topic at hand. "You grabbed Clarke's ass on the dance floor in public club?"

"At The Ark..." the brunette filled her friend in.

"At The Ark," Anya repeated, "and then she kissed you the next night..."

"...in her apartment," Lexa added.

"And that's when she told you that she sees you as more than a friend?"

"Yes," Lexa answered, finally having gained her composure back.

"Well, this sounds like great fucking news then," Anya expertly deduced. "Since you've been in love with her for the last... how many years have you two been best friends?"

Lexa simply declined an answer to that with a loud sigh, and Anya knew immediately to drop that train of thought. She looked curiously over at the brunette for a moment before speaking again.

"So?" Anya asked and received another small sigh. "What are you going to do now?"

"I think... I'll... ask her on a date," Lexa confessed. It was something she had hoped for years to someday do, but now that the moment was maybe finally here she was terrified at the thought of actually taking her best friend out on a proper date. A real date. A date with flowers and hand-holding and kisses goodnight. Wait, what if Clarke didn't want a flower-filled, hand-holding, goodnight-kiss type of date? What if she just wanted to hang out at home? What if she didn't want to tell their other friends that they were dating? Were they dating? After they maybe, possibly go on a date, that is.

"Hello?" Anya said while snapping her fingers in front of the brunette's vacant stare.

"Oh, what?" Lexa asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts and back to reality.

"When are you going to ask her on a date?" Anya repeated herself.

"I don't know..." Lexa answered while starting to fidget with the cloth napkin on her lap. "Maybe at the party on Saturday?"

"Just promise me you'll ask her before you drink a little too much liquid courage," Anya quipped, "because we all know what happens next."

Lexa shot Anya what could best be described as a death stare as she watched Anya pretend to pass out on top of her dinner plate. The blonde sneaked a peek over at the glaring brunette and let out a hearty laugh before picking up her fork again and starting in on the last bit of her dinner.

"Well, I'd really like dessert," Anya said as she shoved the last bite of her entree into her mouth, "but I don't want you to think that's me saying that I'm easy or something."

"Trust me, there will be no sex happening in my apartment tonight," Lexa confidently stated as she thought back to Anya's earlier comment about putting out for a nice dinner.

"Unless it's with yourself while you're thinking about blondie," Anya whispered with a smirk before winking suggestively.

Lexa stared back in shock for a few solid seconds before snapping her mouth shut with a click of her teeth.

"Her name is Clarke," Lexa said firmly, "and I will under no circumstances be doing that."

Anya let out a loud laugh just as the waiter was walking up to clear their plates and take their dessert order. The blonde asked for a piece of cheesecake for the two to split, which Lexa happily indulged in as it was her favorite dessert. They chatted with each other until the bill came, which the brunette snatched up before Anya had any considerable amount of time to react. Lexa had insisted to her friend that tonight was her treat, since she had to pick the restaurant after all. Anya genuinely thanked the brunette for the wonderful night out, and the two got up to leave to head back home. They started towards Lexa's apartment, linking their arms together and lazily meandering down the sidewalk with smiles on their faces and laughter on their lips feeling thankful that they had each other to spend these precious moments of downtime together.


	7. Chapter 7

"What the _actual fuck_ , Griffin?!" Octavia belted out from under the blankets she had just thrown over her head moments after Clarke turned on every single light and opened every single curtain in her bedroom, effectively shocking her awake from a very peaceful sleep.

"It's Saturday!" Clarke exclaimed while grabbing for the brunette's wrist.

"Get the hell out," the brunette grumbled with her eyes closed tightly.

"But it's Saturday! It's girls day!" Clarke repeated as she jumped up and down beside the brunette on the bed. The motion was making Octavia bounce from side to side, and she did actually let a small smile grace her lips as the blonde apparently continued to jump for joy on her friend's mattress.

"We're going to brunch, remember?!" Clarke said with extreme excitement in her voice.

"Yes, I remember, Clarke," Octavia mumbled as she slowly got herself out of bed, "girls day featuring brunch with all my crazy bitches!"

"That's the spirit!" Clarke enthused as she jumped up from the bed. "Now go take a shower and make yourself look pretty!"

"Fine, fine," Octavia muttered, her voice still scratchy with sleep as she walked into her bathroom and turned on her shower. As tired as she was this morning, she knew her girlfriends were going to make their time together a _whole_ lot of fun. Suddenly feeling excited to their girls day started, Octavia hopped into the shower and quickly started in on her normal routine, thinking about which cute outfit she was going to wear today. Clarke made haste in her bathroom getting ready as well. She needed to make sure that everything was going to plan for their special brunch. It wasn't an hour later that both girls were ready for the day and headed out the door into the hustle and bustle of the city.

After secretly checking her phone a few times to make sure that Lexa and Raven were already at their destination, Clarke finally picked up her pace much to the appreciation of the smaller brunette who had been urging her along for the last ten minutes. The two ambled side by side along the sidewalks edged in cobblestone in what Raven liked to call the 'fancy part of town.' There was only one place to go for brunch in the city, and that was Tony's Café. It was pricey, sure, but the food and the service was second to none. The four girls had been there many a time together whether it was for a birthday, celebrating a new promotion at work, or a much needed pick-me-up when one of them were having a rough time.

As the two rounded the last corner before coming up to the charming outdoor seating area in front of the café, Octavia's eyes lit up at the sight of her two friends already sitting at a table and chatting away. Her eyes darted to a large bouquet of light pink peonies sitting in the middle of the table, knowing immediately which one of her friends must have brought it for her. Clarke smiled when she saw the flowers from Lexa, and her heart did a little flip-flop in her chest as she appreciated the brunette's thoughtfulness with this small, unplanned gesture.

"Hey bitches," Octavia greeted her friends with a soft voice and a warm smile. They all new by now that this was a term of endearment from the feisty girl, and they always took it as such. Clarke's breath caught in the back of her throat when she saw Lexa look up towards Octavia and flash her a loving smile. She felt herself smiling back at Lexa, whose entire face looked as if it was glowing. The blonde wasn't sure when she had ever seen her best friend look so beautiful than she did in this very moment. Octavia hustled around the table to hug each of her friends as they remained seated before finding a chair of her own. Clarke followed shortly thereafter and sat down in the seat next to Lexa.

"Hi," Lexa softly addressed the blonde to her right.

"Hey," Clarke whispered back. "You look nice."

"As do you," Lexa responded genuinely as her gaze darted back and forth between Clarke's sparkling blue eyes.

"Lexa got these for you," Raven told the brunette as she pointed to the beautiful vase of flowers.

"Thank you, Lexa," Octavia hummed through a smile before she reached her hand over to brush a fingertip over the soft petals. "They're beautiful."

"You're welcome," the taller brunette responded with a smile just as devastatingly beautiful as the one she'd flashed a moment ago. "And Happy Anniversary."

"Happy Anniversary!" Raven jubilantly exclaimed while holding up her water glass. The other three girls reached for their glasses and clinked them together as they all shared in their congratulations. Octavia just giggled, knowing that her friends were going out of their way to make her feel better after her own boyfriend couldn't seem to get himself interested in their special day.

"So what are we celebrating today, ladies?" The waiter asked as he strolled up to their table, catching the tail end of their toast.

"It's my one year anniversary with my boyfriend, and I'm spending it with my girlfriends!" Octavia quipped. The waiter seemed to understand the sarcasm in the brunette's voice immediately and tried his best to hide a smirk.

"How about I bring you some champagne for a _proper_ toast then?" the man asked.

"Sounds perfect to me!" Octavia piped up immediately. The girls fell into an easy conversation about the last time they'd had brunch here to celebrate Clarke's attending status at the hospital. They poked fun of each other, reliving how drunk they'd gotten in the middle of the day and lost themselves in a chorus of giggles until the waiter returned with their champagne.

"Because boys are idiots," Octavia offered while holding her champagne flute towards the middle of the table. The girls caught each other's gaze before Clarke broke the silence.

"Lincoln is not an idiot."

"As I mentioned to the waiter," Octavia started with a glare towards the blonde, "I'm having brunch with my girls on my anniversary because my dumb ass boyfriend would rather pick up an extra shift at work than spend the day with his girlfriend."

The three girls stared at Octavia in silence, all of them blinking a few times before Lexa was the one to speak up.

"Because boys are idiots!" Lexa cheered as she surged her glass towards the middle of the table. Octavia broke out into a smile as they all clinked their glasses against each other's and proceeded to stuff themselves on the best brunch food in the city.

* * *

After spending two hours lazily enjoying their brunch, the girls decided to help Octavia find a new dress for her big dinner tonight with Lincoln. Even though the brunette was still disappointed that her boyfriend had bailed on her today, she was thankful for her friends' company and always enjoyed shopping with them. They stopped by the apartment quickly to drop off the flowers Lexa had brought to the café before heading to their favorite part of the city to find the newest and cutest clothes. Their shopping haul resulted in a full-length slinky black dress for Octavia, complete with new heels and a gold leather clutch. The other three girls knew full well that Lincoln was planning on giving Octavia beautiful gold earrings and matching necklace at dinner tonight (that they had all weighed in on with their opinions at his request), so they managed to steer the brunette clear from accessories for the afternoon.

Raven found a new leather jacket that almost gave her a heart-attack from pure overwhelming joy when she saw it, so she promptly bought it and didn't take it off for the rest of the afternoon. Clarke found a pair of 'killer boots' as she described them from her favorite shoe store, and Lexa bought a dress that Clarke found herself feeling disappointed that she never got to see the brunette try on. She did, however, get to spend thirty minutes with Lexa as she fawned over an Italian leather briefcase made of the softest black leather either of them had ever felt. It had short handles stitched with dark brown threading and a 24 karat gold clasp at the front. The inside of the tote was patterned with a tan and black plaid design, and Lexa had stated that it had the perfect number of dividers and pockets for her. Clarke urged the brunette to buy it - the successful lawyer wasn't hurting for money after all. But Lexa decided against it in the end, saying that she would have to think about it. The blonde knew that was code for 'never going to happen' as the brunette was always so careful not to spend her money on such lavish things.

They each swung their bags happily at their sides as the women made their way back to Clarke and Octavia's apartment. They figured that they would help the brunette get ready for her special date, seeing that it was only about two hours away by this point. Lexa busied herself with taming Octavia's long dark locks into loose, sweeping curls while Raven rummaged through drawers in the bathroom trying to find the perfect shades of makeup that would compliment the black dress Octavia had purchased that afternoon. Clarke smiled to herself as she watched her friends dote over each other, feeling a warming sensation creep through her chest as she thought about just how lucky she was to have these women in her life.

"I think we should go for a smokey eye," Raven stated as she held out a sparkling black eye shadow for Octavia to inspect.

"Smokey eye," Lexa repeated, "definitely."

"Yeah," Clarke heard herself agree. "But I think you should use a sparkly gold eye shadow with the black. You know, to compliment the... clutch... that O bought to go with her dress."

Raven and Lexa immediately caught on, and Raven turned back towards the drawers to find a gold eye shadow. It would perfectly accent all of the gold jewelry Octavia would be getting from Lincoln later tonight. As soon as Lexa put the finishing touches on Octavia's hair, Raven went to work expertly applying layer after layer of makeup at the same time managing to keep the anniversary girl's face looking natural.

"I should probably head out," Lexa spoke softly to Clarke as they moved into the kitchen so not be overheard.

"Okay," Clarke responded with a small nod. "Thanks for coming today."

"Of course," Lexa responded with a smile, "I wouldn't miss a brunch date with my girls."

Clarke returned her best friend's smile, and the two each took a step towards each other to meet in a friendly hug. The blonde let her eyes flutter shut as she felt Lexa's warm hands splay across the expanse of her lower back, pressing them even closer together. She nudged her nose into the brunette's neck and tightened her arms around Lexa, desperately fighting the urge to let her lips dance across the soft skin there. The brunette let out a shaky breath as she turned her head into the blonde and swallowed thickly. She wanted nothing more in this moment than to be kissing Clarke but wasn't sure if she would be able to stop if she was given the change to taste the blonde's lips again. They reluctantly pulled apart after a few long moments, and Clarke's gaze flicked from Lexa's eyes, down to her lips, then back up to her eyes again.

"I should... say goodbye to Octavia... before I go," Lexa mumbled as she desperately tried to keep her eyes locked to the blonde's and not on her mouth. But when Clarke poked the tip of her tongue out to wet her lips and then lightly pull her bottom lip into her mouth, Lexa's gaze broke and drifted down as she looked intently at the blonde's lips for another moment.

"Okay," Clarke rasped just above a whisper.

Lexa wasn't sure how, but her feet managed to propel her around the blonde and back towards the bathroom where Raven was just finishing up Octavia's makeup. She rounded the corner and peeked her head into the doorway, giving both the girls a warm smile.

"I'm taking off," Lexa directed at Octavia just before being enveloped in a strong hug.

"Thanks for making today so special, Lex," Octavia purred into her friend's ear. "And for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"You're welcome," Lexa responded. "Happy Anniversary."

"Thanks," Octavia beamed and pulled the taller brunette in for another quick hug.

Lexa waved goodbye to Raven who was busy putting all of the makeup back into the cabinet drawers before turning to head back towards the front door of the apartment. As she walked farther away from the two girls, she faintly heard Raven tell Octavia that she was going to help her pick out some slutty lingerie to wear under her new dress. Lexa chuckled under her breath until she found herself back in the kitchen with Clarke. The blonde looked like she was purposefully busying herself with putting away some odds-and-ends into the cabinets and drawers and turned to look at Lexa just as she reached the front door.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in a couple hours," Lexa directed at the blonde while shrugging her right shoulder as she spoke.

"Yep," Clarke quickly replied. "See you then."

Before she could even think another single thought, Lexa pushed herself towards Clarke and lightly pressed their lips together in a quick kiss. She saw the blonde blush furiously as she pulled away and flashed her a bright closed-lipped smile. A sheepish grin crawled across Clarke's lips as their gaze locked, and Lexa opened the front door taking one step through the threshold.

"Bye, Clarke."

"Bye," Clarke whispered back, still feeling a slight tingle on her cheeks as she watched the brunette disappear down the hallway.

* * *

Clarke found herself smiling as she walked into the elevator in Lincoln's apartment building. Her heartbeat drummed in her chest, and her fingers tingled with anticipation as she watched the numbers at the top of the elevator climb with her ascent. This had been one of the best days of Clarke's entire life. Brunch and shopping with her closest friends, another completely unexpected kiss from Lexa, and now she was headed to reunite with friends and family to celebrate what could be one of the most epic events she'd ever been a part of. As the elevator chimed, Clarke snapped out of her thoughts and excitedly walked towards her friend's apartment and opened the door immediately.

"Bell!" Clarke exclaimed as a bright smile lit up her face at the sight of Octavia's brother standing just inside the apartment. She felt herself fling her arms around his neck and hold him tightly as his strong arms enveloped her waist. They stayed like that for a few long moments before the blonde pulled away to look her long-distance friend in the eyes.

"Hey princess," Bellamy said through a smile as wide as it would go. "Long time, no see."

"It's so good to see you," Clarke said as she gave the nape of his neck a small squeeze. "I've missed you."

"Ah, you just miss busting my balls for being such a shitty brother to O for so many years," the older Blake quipped.

Octavia and Bellamy's relationship was nothing if not strained. About ten years ago, their mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness which devastated the young siblings. Bellamy regressed emotionally and tried to escape as far away from the pain of slowly losing his mother, while Octavia took the opposite approach and could barely separate herself from the ill woman. When their mother, the only other family they'd really ever known, passed away a few years later, the two naturally came together in an effort to find strength and support in one another. In actuality it had strained their relationship even more because they hadn't come to terms with their pain and anger towards each other, which made for several long years of fighting and resentment.

Fortunately they hit the breaking point in their relationship a couple of years ago and decided that it was time they forgive each other and move on if they ever hoped to have one another in their lives again. Shortly after the reconciliation with his sister Bellamy got the career opportunity of a lifetime, and they both decided that he should follow his heart and accept the position. The only problem was that the job was on the other side of the country, but they were diligent in keeping in contact over the years so they wouldn't drift apart again. It had been almost a year since they'd seen each other last, and Lincoln managed to arrange a flight home for his girlfriend's brother so that he was there to be a part of this special night.

"You were both pretty shitty to each other, let's be honest," Clarke responded with a kind smile, "but you worked it out, and that's what counts."

"It's really good to see you, Clarke," Bellamy said to the blonde as he admired her in front of him. "You look beautiful."

Clarke flashed a genuine smile at him before offering her thanks for the compliment. They chatted for a few more minutes before another knock sounded on Lincoln's apartment door. Clarke opened it this time and revealed her mother standing with a bottle of wine in her hands.

"You made it on time!" Clarke rejoiced as she brought her mother in for a hug.

"I told you I wouldn't miss it," Abby replied as she returned the hug. Another huge smile broke out on her face when she saw Bellamy standing behind her daughter and brought him in for a warm hug.

"It's so good to see you, Bellamy," Abby said as she passed the wine bottle to Clarke who was reaching for it.

"It's great to see you too, Abby," Bellamy replied with a smile of his own.

Clarke moved away from her mother and Bellamy to head towards the kitchen with the bottle of wine her mother had brought. Lincoln hadn't actually picked up a shift at work today, but rather he used it as a cover so that he and Bellamy could work on setting everything up for the celebration all day while Clarke, Lexa and Raven kept Octavia busy during brunch and their shopping excursion. The apartment had been meticulously cleaned and bottles of every kind of alcohol known to man had been set up on the kitchen bar along with several beverage tins stocked with beer, soft drinks, and water bottles. There was a 'Happy Anniversary' sign hanging on the wall opposite the front door, and cream and gold balloons were sprinkled around the apartment. Bellamy had teased Lincoln all day about the decorations being so cheesy, but Lincoln insisted that he didn't care. He had spent the last two months planning this night, and he wanted to make it as special as possible for the woman he loved more than life itself.

"Hey, Anya!" Clarke exclaimed as she walked over to where the blonde was standing with Lexa. "How's your time with your dad been so far?"

"It was really nice," Anya responded honestly. "We managed not to fight the entire time and even made a few new memories."

"That's great," Clarke responded with a smile before looking between the blonde and Lexa.

"So are you heading back to DC to spend some more time with him after tonight?" Clarke asked.

"No," Anya said after taking a deep breath. "We ended on such a high note that we didn't want to jinx it, so I'm going to crash with Lexa for the rest of the week before I head back on Saturday."

"Which means that Anya has requested another going away party at The Ark next weekend," Lexa told the blonde through a lop-sided smile. Any excuse Anya had to party was more than enough to get her excited.

"Sounds good to me," Clarke flashed a smile at the brunette who mimicked the action.

"Alright guys," Bellamy's commanding voice filled the apartment as he addressed everyone, "I just got a text from Lincoln that they are on their way back, so that gives us about ten minutes to get ready!"

A rush of excitement washed over the group, as they started bustling around making sure everything was in its proper place. Clarke suddenly realized that they were one body short and grabbed for her phone to see if she had any missed calls or texts.

"Where the hell is Raven?" Clarke suddenly yelled at the group.

"I texted her to head over when Anya and I left my apartment, and she said she'd be here on time," Lexa said as she straightened out a pillow on the couch.

"Maybe she ran into some traffic," Bellamy offered and looked out the peephole at the front door. "Was she bringing something?"

"No," Clarke replied, checking her phone again. "She's gonna be _pissed_ if she misses this!"

Just as the blonde's words left her mouth, the front door came crashing open and bumped into the back of Bellamy's legs as it went. The flustered brunette limped inside quickly as her eyes darted around the room, making sure that she had arrived before the anniversary couple.

"Raven! Where the hell were you? Why are you so late?" Clarke exclaimed as she watched the girl offer a comforting touch to Bellamy who was wincing in pain as he rubbed his left calf.

"I got here as fast as this fucking stupid brace would let me!" Raven nearly screamed as she waived her hands angrily. Abby shot the distressed girl a look, which earned her an eye-roll before the two decided to keep their mouths shut. Abby had been after Raven for years about participating in a new surgery that might make it possible for the younger girl to walk without a brace anymore. Work had been too demanding, Raven used as an excuse and the older woman had dropped it for the time being.

"It's not my fault that Lexa texted me five fucking minutes before I was supposed to be here," Raven snapped as she made her way further into the room.

"I'm sorry, Raven," Lexa apologized to the frazzled girl catching her breath. "I should have – "

"It's fine," the younger brunette cut her off while placing her hand gently on Lexa's forearm. "It's not your fault. I'm just glad I got here before they did."

Lexa offered a small smile but a look of hurt mixed with a bit of guilt was still splashed across her face as she rested her hand gently over Raven's and gave it a small squeeze. The others shushed each other and everyone took their place together in front of the door and waited in silence for the guests of honor to arrive. A few minutes later they heard the shuffling of feet followed by a key being slowly inserted into the lock, and they all held their breath waiting for the couple to walk in.

" **HAPPY ANNIVERSARY**!" everyone shouted as loud as they could when Octavia walked into the apartment just a step in front of Lincoln, who was starting to look quite nervous. The brunette looked up in utter shock as she tried to process what she was seeing and let out a loud squeal when her eyes finally landed on her brother standing right beside her.

"Bellamy!" Octavia screamed as she lunged towards him, wrapping him in a tight hug. He clung onto her as if his life depended on it, and the two shifted from side-to-side as they lost themselves in their embrace.

Clarke felt tears spring to her eyes as the siblings stood in each other's arms for a few long moments, and she looked over at her mother who was already wiping a stray tear from her cheek. Raven's hands were clasped together in front of her chest as she smiled from ear to ear and watched her friend finally withdraw herself from Bellamy's arms. The minute Octavia stepped away from her brother, she looked over at Raven and hurried over to wrap her up into a warm hug. Clarke smiled and noticed Lincoln watching his girlfriend circle around to everyone in the group and greet them with a hug. He was probably going over his speech in his head and getting more nervous by the second, and Clarke suddenly wished she could snap him out of it to help calm his nerves a little. She kept her eye contact with the dark man until he finally met her gaze, and she lifted her chin and let out an exaggerated breath as a subtle signal to remind him to breathe. The blonde noticed as Lincoln took a deep breath and looked back at Octavia who had made it all the way around to each of her friends and had circled back to Bellamy.

"I can't believe you're here," Octavia said in wonderment as she continued to gaze at Bellamy like she was studying each of his expressions as they flashed across his face. "Thank you for being here."

"You should really be thanking your fiancé," Bellamy responded before quickly adding, "he planned it all." Lincoln had even planned for Bellamy to make that little slip of the tongue to help set up what was about to happen next.

"My fian –" Octavia mumbled softly but trailed off before the entire word could slip off her tongue. She let her hands drop and turned back around to face Lincoln who had dropped to his knee in front of her friends. They had choreographed the scene for Lincoln to find himself kneeling in front of everyone so that they could all see the look on Octavia's face as the next sequence of events played out.

"Octavia," Lincoln began as the brunette's eyes widened in realization of what was about to happen. "My life felt like it began the moment I met you. On our first date you complained that I didn't talk enough, but it was all I could do to stop myself from telling you a thousand times how beautiful you looked that night. Over the last year you've challenged me and helped me grow to be a better man. I still don't know if I deserve you, but I want to spend the rest of my life trying to prove to you and everyone here that I do."

There wasn't a dry eye in the room at this point, and Octavia struggled to bite back a sob that was threatening to jump from her chest as she listened to the words being declared for her and only her. A fresh supply of tears spilled from her eyes as she watched Lincoln reach inside of his suit jacket to pull out a small black box and rest it lightly in his hands.

"Octavia Blake," he started again and flipped open the box, "will you marry me?"

The moment came crashing down on the brunette, and she couldn't hold back her emotions for another second. She heard herself crying but managed to keep herself somewhat under control to make sure she didn't leave Lincoln waiting for her answer for longer than another moment. As she took a deep breath and blinked a few more tears from her eyes, she nodded her head and held out her hand.

"Yes," was all she said before she felt the smooth metal slide past her knuckles and rest snugly on her finger. She wrapped her arms around the neck of her now-fiancé before he could even stand, and as he did he brought her up and off her feet into a tight embrace. Clarke heard herself join in the cheers of celebration and blinked a few of her own tears from her eyes as she watched the happy couple hug and kiss and hug again.

"You guys were in on this!" Octavia squealed as she swiped an accusatory finger towards Clarke, Raven and Lexa. The three girls laughed and wrapped up their friend in a group hug, all sniffling from having been crying like babies for the last couple of minutes.

"And you," Octavia turned back towards Lincoln and swatted him squarely on the chest, "you made me think you were an asshole for not being excited about our anniversary!" The group let out a collective laugh as Lincoln just shrugged and smiled back at his fiancée lovingly.

"He even flew me out here," Bellamy interjected, stealing Octavia's attention back. "He called me two months ago to set it up. He insisted on paying, but I _did_ offer!"

"That's why he's been picking up extra shifts," Clarke interjected softly.

"Yeah, a non-stop round trip ticket across the country isn't cheap," Raven added with series of quick nods.

"I love you," Octavia told Lincoln as she turned back around to face him. She jumped into his arms and latched her legs around his waist, thankful for the long slit in her new dress to accommodate such a move. Lincoln moved his hands under her ass to hold her up as they two exchanged a heated, borderline-inappropriate kiss.

"And with that, maybe we should start drinking!" Abby joked as she made a move towards the kitchen.

The two remained kissing for a while longer as the rest of the group filed into the kitchen to pour themselves a drink before settling into the living room. Bellamy had turned on some music, at Lincoln's request, and everyone found themselves in one big conversation about the events leading up to the proposal. Octavia was still in shock from everything that had happened and expressed several times that she couldn't believe she never caught onto anything during the last two months this was all being planned out. Raven offered insight that they were all way too good at secret-keeping, which Octavia agreed was a little creepy. They joked and laughed and drank as the night progressed, and Abby finally announced her exit when someone had suggested playing a drinking game.

"Thank you for coming, Abby," Octavia told the older woman as they hugged in the doorway. "You're... like a... mother to me, and I'm so happy that you were a part of this."

"And I love you like a daughter," Abby lovingly replied as she cradled the crying girl's cheek in her hand. She leaned over and gave Octavia a kiss on the cheek, and the two shared another hug before saying their goodbyes.

"So Clarke," Bellamy started as he popped open another beer, "how does it feel to finally be the badass doctor you've always dreamed of being?"

"It feels great," Clarke said through a sly smile, "though I don't know if I'd consider myself as a badass."

"She's a badass," Lexa interjected while locking her gaze with the blonde. "I have a feeling she knows her way around the human body quite well."

Clarke simultaneously felt her eyes widen, her throat go dry, and a jolt of arousal shoot between her legs at the innuendo, and she tried desperately to stop her mind from wandering to the thought of her own hands wandering the expanse of smooth skin from the brunette's elegant neck, across collarbones, down long arms and over ribs to swells of hips, thighs, and supple calves until the brunette moaned in ecstasy and came undone under her touch. Lexa smirked slightly, clearly aware of the blonde's train of thought before opening her mouth to speak again.

"I mean, it's what you would expect from a doctor right?" Lexa coolly asked Bellamy who was standing just to her right.

"Absolutely," he responded but held his gaze with Clarke and flashed a smile at her that was a little to wide for Lexa's liking. Fortunately for the brunette Clarke was still locked onto her gaze, and she could swear the blue eyes staring into her own were a shade or two darker than they were just a moment ago.

"I've definitely gotten my fair share of surgeries in this year," Clarke said, finally composing herself. "I guess it comes with the perks of being an attending."

The three chatted for a while longer about their jobs before Lexa broke off to join Anya on the couch. She knew that Clarke would want to spend some extra time with Bellamy; they were good friends, after all, and he wasn't in town very often. So even though she wanted nothing more than to be right by the blonde's side for every minute of the party, she tore herself away knowing that the two women would soon find themselves together again.

"Hey bitch," Anya smiled fondly at her friend as she plopped down beside her. "So how's the thing with you and Clarke?"

"What do you mean?" Lexa asked before taking a small sip of her wine.

"I mean, have you two... you know..." Anya playfully drew out, " _done it_?"

"What are you, twelve?" Lexa asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"You haven't answered the question," Anya redirected with a slight glare in her eyes.

"No," Lexa huffed. "It's only been like a week since our first kiss."

"Your _first_ kiss?" Anya immediately caught onto Lexa's slip of the tongue.

"I may have kissed her again this afternoon," Lexa said while bringing her wine glass up to her lips and taking a slightly bigger gulp of the dark red liquid. She felt a strong hand grip her knee and waited for the other girl to say what she could only assume was coming.

" _You_ kissed _her_?" Anya eagerly asked. "As in you initiated it this time?"

"It wasn't really a kiss even," Lexa found herself back-tracking. "I mean it was... but it was a small kiss... just a little peck on the lips."

The brunette couldn't even finish her sentence before a dark blush crept up her cheeks, making Anya smile with delight at her friend's embarrassment. She was thrilled that Lexa was finally letting herself embrace her feelings for the blonde, since it was all she'd heard about for the last however many years she'd been pining for the other girl. Plus happiness looked good on Lexa, and she began looking happy again the day Clarke came into her life.

"So what did Clarke say about it?" Anya asked as she took another pull from her beer.

"Nothing," Lexa responded. "I just did it quick before I left."

"Like a goodbye kiss?" Anya asked.

"Yeah," Lexa agreed and took another sip of her wine.

"Well," Anya huffed, clearly wanting more information than Lexa was giving her, "did she seem like she liked it?"

"She blushed," Lexa recalled, feeling herself smile at the memory.

"Dude," Anya started as she playfully slapped her friend's shoulder, "she totally likes you back!"

Lexa let out something between a giggle and a chuckle as she tried to keep her cool while talking about the blonde. There was something so exciting about this new aspect of their relationship that was taking a hold of Lexa harder and faster than she could have ever imagined, and there was little she could do to fight it. Not that she wanted to fight it, but it was always her first instinct to.

"You should go ask her out like you said you were going to," Anya said, interrupting her friend's thoughts. "Like now... before you lose your nerve."

Lexa looked over to where Clarke was standing with Bellamy, and smiled shyly when the blonde caught her gaze across the room. Suddenly the music started playing louder, and Lexa noticed Octavia bouncing by the stereo as she increased the volume and screaming something about this being her favorite song. She looked back over to Clarke just as Bellamy took the blonde's hand in his own and led her over to the part of the living room where Lincoln was busy pushing furniture out of the way for inevitable drunken dancing.

The brunette felt a small pang of jealousy in her chest as she watched Clarke start to sway her hips in time with Bellamy's as they enjoyed the quick tempo of the music. Octavia and Lincoln were quick to follow, and they were both calling out to everyone left sitting to join in. Anya and Lexa shared a look before Anya grabbed the brunette's hand and lead her over to the rowdy group. Almost everyone took turns dancing with each other for a few songs until they were all panting and making their way to more alcohol to futilely quench their thirst. Lexa was determined to remember the night and hopefully ask the blonde on an actual date, so she decided on a bottle of water instead.

"You're drinking water?" Clarke remarked as she eyed the water bottle in Lexa's hands.

"I had some wine earlier," Lexa offered. "Plus apparently I'm kind of a lightweight."

"Drunk Lexa is pretty fun though," Clarke joked back, "and flirty."

"So I've heard," the brunette responded quietly.

"I happen to like that side of you," the blonde quietly confessed.

"Oh yeah?" Lexa asked as her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. Clarke only nodded in response as she sucked lightly on the inside of her bottom lip. She loved the flirty side of Lexa and wouldn't mind experiencing it up close and personal more often.

"I don't know if you could handle my charm, Griffin," Lexa teased with a smirk.

"Oh, I don't know about that, Woods," Clarke challenged taking a step towards the brunette. "I happen to be quite good at flirting myself."

"Hmm, I don't think I can believe that until I see it," Lexa purred with a smirk and a playful shake of her head. This only spurred the blonde on as she took another step towards the brunette.

"Once you see it, Lexa, you won't be able to resist," Clarke husked as she tipped her chin up and moved her face to hover just inches away from the other woman's. "You'll be drawn to me like a magnet."

"I do believe," Lexa said just above a whisper, "it was you who was drawn to me just now."

Clarke's mouth dropped open as she realized that the brunette was exactly right. She had been the one to close the gap between the two and had been just seconds away from letting her hands grip the other girl's hips to pull them even closer together. Lexa's green eyes danced with a smile while she watched as the realization dawned on the blonde.

"Okay, you win this one," Clarke conceded slowly with a smirk as her eyes flicked down to Lexa's lips.

The brunette's throat bobbed as she swallowed and tried to control her breathing. Clarke had instantly turned the tables with one simple look that made Lexa feel like she was melting under the intense blue eyes just inches in front of her. Her mind wandered back to their first kiss in Clarke's kitchen, and she felt her stomach flutter as she remembered how soft the blonde's lips felt against her own. And her tongue. When her tongue had grazed the brunette's lower lip, she wondered if she'd ever felt anything more amazing in her life. Lexa felt her cheeks burn as images of the blonde's tongue in an altogether different place flashed in her mind, and she felt a sharp inhale of breath expand her chest as Clarke's smirk suddenly faded. Blue eyes skipped back and forth as Clarke desperately tried to read Lexa's expressions, feeling irritated that she couldn't make out what the brunette was thinking when normally she was so good at it.

"Clarke! Lexa!" Raven's voice boomed over the music. "Get your asses over here and dance with us!"

The two friends shared a quick look and managed to clear their heads long enough to head back over to the group and re-join the party. After another hour of dancing, someone again brought up the idea of playing a drinking game and the night slowly turned into one giant blur until the alcohol finally took over and left everyone passed out among the party balloons.


	8. Chapter 8

Clarke let a lazy smile play across her lips as she started to wake up. She had immediately felt the sensation of a warm body pressed up against her back and familiar arms wrapped protectively around her waist. She felt Lexa's steady breaths puffing against the back of her neck, and the skin there erupted with goosebumps as the blonde suppressed a shiver. Clarke blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim sunlight seeping through the closed blinds and felt Lexa's arm tighten around her body. She shifted her body around to face the drowsy brunette and nuzzled into the warm space underneath Lexa's chin. They stayed like this for a few minutes, relaxing in each other's arms, before Clarke felt Lexa's voice vibrate in her chest as she spoke.

"Good morning," the brunette said quietly.

"Morning," Clarke responded with her cheek still resting against the brunette's chest.

She turned her head and placed a single kiss on Lexa's neck just below her pulse point. She reveled in the feeling of the brunette sucking in a small breath when her lips brushed over the skin, and she so desperately wanted to continue preferably when the two were not surrounded by their sleeping friends. Clarke lifted her head to look into Lexa's darkened green eyes that were trained in on her lips. Hyper-aware of her morning breath, Clarke lifted a hand in front of her mouth and looked up sweetly at the brunette before offering an explanation.

"I wouldn't want to kill you first thing in the morning, so I'm going to go find some mouthwash."

Lexa simply nodded and loosened her grip from around the blonde's waist so that she could sit up. The brunette smiled at the wild state of Clarke's hair, flat on one side and puffy on the other. The blonde immediately lifted her hand to smooth out her hair and shot a teasing glare to her best friend before pushing herself off the couch and heading to the bathroom.

Lexa took a deep breath and headed into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee for the group. As the aroma of the dark roast started to fill the room, the brunette let her gaze wander around the living room as she took in the sight of Raven stretched out on the loveseat and Anya scrunched into a reclining chair. She vaguely remembered Anya offering the loveseat to Raven, saying that there was no way she would allow the girl with the leg brace sleep in the recliner.

"Morning," Octavia's scratchy voice brought Lexa out of her thoughts.

"Good morning," Lexa smiled at the girl shuffling into the kitchen. The shorter brunette walked directly into Lexa's body and wrapped her arms around her loosely. "Thanks for throwing me a kickass party last night, even though I'm hung over as fuck this morning."

"You're welcome," Lexa said with a smile as she returned the hug.

Clarke rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw the two women hugging and raised an eyebrow. Octavia pulled away from Lexa and turned towards Clarke, mumbling something incoherent before hugging the blonde in the same way she'd just hugged Lexa.

"She says thanks for the party even though she feels like crap," Lexa filled Clarke in.

"You're welcome, babe," Clarke directed towards Octavia before pulling away to place a quick kiss on the brunette's cheek. Octavia shuffled back over to the freshly brewed coffee and poured a cup for herself and one for Lincoln and headed back to his bedroom without another word.

"So how hung over are you?" Clarke asked Lexa quietly so as to not wake the others currently passed out in the living room just in front of them.

"Not at all," the brunette answered honestly.

"Lucky," Clarke groaned as she closed her eyes and rubbed the side of her head. Lexa dug a water bottle out of the beverage tin now filled with water after the ice packed inside had melted overnight and held it out to the blonde.

"Thanks," Clarke said as she took the bottle from Lexa's hand.

"Clarke, I was thinking..." the brunette started softly as she pulled at the ends of her hair draped over her shoulder. Clarke took a big swig of water from the bottle Lexa had just handed to her and waited patiently for the brunette to finish her sentence. When nothing but silence came, she lifted her eyebrows before interjecting.

"You were thinking?"

"I was thinking... that... maybe we should go out... together," Lexa heard herself saying as if it was an out of body experience. Her voice echoed in her own head, and she nearly choked as she tried to swallow down her now parched throat. Her eyes locked onto Clarke's as she waited for a few painful moments for an answer.

"Like..." Clarke hesitated, "on a date?"

Since her nervousness had completely taken over her ability to speak, Lexa simply answered with a small nod before swallowing thickly again. Her breath caught in her chest, and her eyes slightly widened as she took in the expression on Clarke's face and again waited for an answer.

"Absolutely," Clarke answered, trying desperately not to sound... desperate. In all honesty she was nothing more than thrilled to have heard the request come from her best friend after the few intimate moments they'd shared over the last week, and she found herself hoping that they would share a few more on their upcoming date. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the thought, and she felt a small smile creep up to her lips.

"How about Thursday?" Lexa asked tenatively. It was normally the day the whole group would head to The Ark, so they usually both had the night blocked off.

"Thursday works," Clarke responded with a growing smile. Lexa returned the smile with one of her own and looked longingly at the blonde until a groan broke the silence in the apartment.

"Fucking head fucking hurts," Raven mumbled as she shifted on the couch to sit up slowly.

"Coffee," Anya grumbled without opening her eyes.

Lexa smiled at her friends just waking up and moved to grab a few mugs out of the cabinet. She busied herself pouring two cups of coffee and asked if Clarke wanted one too. The blonde nodded quickly and took the steaming mug into her hands, letting the aroma of the fresh coffee flood her senses. As she took a sip, she noticed Lexa hadn't poured herself a cup and looked up to the brunette questionably.

"I need to spend a few hours at the office today to get some case notes together for a meeting on Monday, so I'm going to head out," Lexa explained.

Clarke nodded in response and set her mug down to walk with Lexa over to the front door. The brunette said her goodbyes to the half-asleep girls slowly shuffling into the kitchen for their coffee, and Clarke followed her out of the apartment door and closed it quietly behind them.

"What would you like to do on Thursday?" Lexa asked when they were alone in the apartment hallway. She wouldn't normally ask her date what they would like to do, but Clarke was her best friend. They'd been friends for so many years and done so many things together, so Lexa thought it might just be more natural to ask Clarke if she had anything in mind.

"Let's do something low key," Clarke offered. "Like have dinner and just hang out afterwards?"

"We could try that new Mongolian barbecue place that just opened a few blocks down from your apartment," Lexa offered.

"Yes, I've been dying to go there!" Clarke agrees.

Now that the main events of the date had been set, Clarke and Lexa stood in front of each other not quite knowing what else to say before saying goodbye. Lexa took a step towards Clarke and lowered her lips to the blonde's soft cheek and placed a quick kiss against the blushed skin before leaving with a smile and a shy wave. Clarke couldn't help but bring a hand up and brush her fingertips over the skin Lexa had just kissed, and she smiled to herself before turning and heading back into the apartment.

* * *

Lexa let out a sigh as she closed the client file she'd been working on all morning in preparation for her meeting tomorrow morning. She never liked working on weekends, but Lexa would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared for a meeting with a client. It's what elevated her above other lawyers in the area and in turn made the firm she worked for one of the most sought after by politicians looking for representation. The brunette packed up her briefcase and turned off her computer before heading out of the office.

"Hey Anya," Lexa answered her cell phone quickly after she heard it buzzing on her desk.

 _"How the hell are you at work right now? Were we playing different drinking games last night or something?"_

"I took sips, you chugged. I wasn't even that drunk last night," Lexa responded.

 _"Yet you felt it necessary to pass out on the couch with Clarke all night?"_

"Everyone else was staying, so I did too," Lexa defended herself.

 _"I'm just giving you a hard time, Lex. But I am interested to know if you followed through on your word and asked blondie on a date..."_

"You literally just said her name, Anya," Lexa reprimanded the woman on the other line.

 _"I literally just said your name too, but that doesn't stop me from calling you Commander. I swear you dislike her nickname more than she does."_

"It just sounds condescending," Lexa explained.

 _"I say it with only the sincerest of love, Lex. But you didn't answer my question... did you ask her?"_

"Yes," Lexa simply stated.

 _"Way to go, Commander! Where and when?"_

"Thursday. We're going to a Mongolian barbecue place that just opened near Clarke's apartment," Lexa told her friend.

 _"And after dinner?"_

"We'll probably just hang out at someone's apartment," Lexa said with a shrug of her shoulders.

 _"Nice... just say the word, and I'll make myself scarce."_

"I don't want to kick you out of the apartment, Anya," Lexa assured the blonde. "We're just going to be hanging out, probably watching a movie or something anyways."

 _"Uh, no offense Lex, but I really don't want to be trapped inside your apartment while you two are going at it on the couch."_

"Okay, that's not going to happen," Lexa said. "This is our first date, Anya, give me a little credit here."

 _"You've been pining after Clarke for years. The sexual tension between you two is ridiculous... honestly I'm not surprised you two haven't banged each other senseless already."_

Lexa said nothing, and snatched her phone away from her ear and hitting the 'end call' button. It wasn't ten seconds later that her phone was buzzing with Anya's number once again. She answered it wordlessly and waited for her friend to speak.

 _"Okay, I'm done with the inappropriate sex jokes... for now."_

"Thank you," Lexa replied.

 _"So does that mean I'll have to go to The Ark alone this Thursday?"_

"No," Lexa responded. "I'm sure Octavia, Lincoln and Raven will be there. They hardly ever miss a week."

 _"So you're saying I get to spend the entire night watching the newly engaged couple share sickening love-struck gazes at each other and deal with the resident genius mack on that creepy blonde guy she's only known for two weeks?"_

"I didn't think about it that way," Lexa confessed, suddenly feeling bad for scheduling a date on the group's regular club night.

 _"It's okay, I'll survive. Maybe I can convince Raven to drop her blonde and take on a new blonde..."_

"Raven is straight, Anya," Lexa said as she suppressed a chuckle. At least, she was pretty sure the brunette was straight. She'd never indicated otherwise during all the years Lexa had known her.

 _"Hmm, we'll see."_

"Are you still at Lincoln's? I'm almost home if you want to hit the gym with me this afternoon."

 _"Yes! I haven't worked out in a week, and I swear I'm already losing my six-pack."_

"Ha! Six-pack, Anya?" Lexa laughed into the phone. "I'll believe that when I see it."

 _"Careful, Commander. I might have to tell Clarke you're just dying to see me with my shirt off."_

"Oh, shut up," Lexa hissed into the phone.

 _"Alright, alright. I'll be home in like 20 minutes."_

"Alright, see you then," Lexa said and ended her call.

Their teasing banter didn't let up for the rest of the day, and the two competitive friends found themselves at the gym for almost 5 hours as they challenged each other in practically every way possible. They tried to out-run each other on the treadmills, out-lift each other on the bench press, out-cycle each other during the spin class, and it left them both heaving messes by the time they called it a draw. Even though the brunette had held her own during the friendly competition, she was definitely feeling the burn more than the blonde Army major who was used to enduring intense physical activity on a daily basis. And unfortunately for Lexa, her muscles would painfully remind her for the rest of the week just how hard she'd worked to keep up with her friend.

* * *

Clarke groaned as she stepped into her apartment, finally having felt motivated enough to leave Lincoln's apartment. Her head was pounding from the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed the night before during the anniversary/engagement surprise party, and she was slightly surprised that the walk home hadn't taken her longer. She threw her keys on the counter and headed straight for the bathroom to pop a few asprin hoping they would take away the bite of her headache. Luckily the blonde was given the day off, so she was eager to take advantage of a lazy afternoon lounging in her sweatpants and nursing her hangover. It wasn't the worst she's ever had, but any hangover was still unpleasant.

The thought of a long, steamy shower enticed the blonde enough to make her momentarily postpone her lounging plans, and she made quick work of stripping off her party clothes from the night before. Steam filled the small space between the cool tile wall and the navy blue shower curtain Lexa had purchased for Clarke after seeing the tattered one the blonde had been using since her first year of college. Clarke had rolled her eyes when the brunette presented it to her on a day marked with no special significance, but she didn't hesitate to hang it up that very afternoon feeling somewhat excited to have a little bit of Lexa's influence in her personal space.

By the time Clarke had finished her shower and wrung out her hair of all excess water, Octavia had arrived back home and was bumping and thudding around the apartment noisily. Clarke furrowed her brow as she tried to firgure out what the hell the brunette was doing but gave up after a few minutes and decided to go see for herself.

"What is going on?" Clarke asked as she looks around the girl's bedroom. There were drawers open, clothes on the bed and a few empty cardboard boxes on the floor.

"Clarke!" Octavia screamed, startled by the blonde's voice out of nowhere. "I thought you would be sleeping off your hangover..."

"I was in the shower," Clarke responded as her eyes narrowed at the brunette shifting awkwardly from side to side. Octavia avoided eye-contact and picked with her fingernails a few times before Clarke spoke up again. "What's going on?"

"Clarke, I don't really know how to tell you this..." Octavia hesitated, "but..."

A long, silent pause encapsulated the two as Clarke waited patiently for the brunette to say what she was stalling to say.

"I'm moving in with Lincoln," she finally blurted out.

"Well, that makes sense," Clarke responded nonchalantly.

"Huh?" Octavia questioned as her head whipped up to meet Clarke's neutral expression with her own of confusion.

"You're engaged," Clarke said slowly. "It makes sense that you two would be moving in together at some point, and he clearly has the better apartment."

"You're not mad?" Octavia asked with eyes slightly wider than normal.

"Of course not!" Clarke reassured her nervous roommate. "Why would I be mad? I love Lincoln."

"It's just... I'm moving out..." the brunette trailed off.

"Yeah?" Clarke asked, wondering where this was going.

"I'm leaving you to pay the rent on this place by yourself," Octavia said with a worried tone in her voice. "And we've lived together for so long, I just thought it would be weird... you know... not living together anymore."

"So you were planning to sneak out while I was sleeping off my hangover?" Clarke teased as she quirked her eyebrow up.

"No, I..."

"Octavia," Clarke interjected softly, "I'm kidding. I'm going to miss you so much, but I'm really happy for you and Lincoln. You guys are starting this whole new journey in your relationship, and things were bound to change at some point."

Octavia nodded in understanding as a look of relief washed over her face.

"Plus," Clarke continued, "I knew about the proposal for the last two months, so I've had more than enough time to prepare for this day."

"I'm going to miss you so much," Octavia said as she wrapped her arms snuggly around Clarke's neck.

"I'm going to miss you too, O," Clarke responded as she smiled widely and pressed herself into the embrace. "Who am I going to go to for clothing advice now?"

"I won't be that far away," Octavia offered as she pulled out of the hug, "or we can FaceTime!"

"We'll figure it out," Clarke said with a small chuckle.

"I love you, Clarke," Octavia said sincerely. "Thanks for making last night so special."

"Even though you were being a royal bitch all week long?" Clarke playfully added. Octavia pursed her lips together and gave the blonde a sheepish look, knowing full well that she had acted immaturely earlier. " l love you too," Clarke added before giving the brunette's arm a light squeeze.

Octavia busied herself emptying drawers and packing the contents into the empty boxes on her floor. The girl had more clothes than she had room for, and the blonde smiled to herself as she wondered if Lincoln had enough closet space to store everything his new fiancée was going to move in. Clarke found herself thinking back to the day they'd moved in together and how different their apartment had looked when it was just empty rooms and blank walls.

They had only a small amount of furniture between the two of them, and Octavia had been the one to accumulate most of their other pieces over the years. Quite frankly the only pieces of furniture Clarke owned in the entire apartment were the ones in her bedroom. She remembered splurging on an expensive mattress and bed frame with the first official paycheck she had received from the hospital. Most new doctors still had to worry for years about paying off their student loans, but Clarke had used the life insurance money she received when her father had passed away years ago to pay for her schooling in its entirety. The other items she bought slowly throughout the years, not worrying too much about they way their apartment looked.

Her memories of filling their apartment with decorations, new friends, and cherished memories suddenly came to a screeching halt when Clarke finally realized how empty her apartment would be once Octavia had finished moving all of her stuff out. She had bought the couch, the dining room table, the bar stools, curtains, coffee table...

"Can I buy your couch?" Clarke asked, breaking the silence.

Octavia doubled over in laughter at the odd question that seemingly came from out of nowhere, and Clarke cracked a smile as she watched the brunette try to catch her breath.

"I mean, Lincoln's apartment is fully furnished," Clarke explained. "And if you take all of your furniture with you, I'll have nothing to sit on... or eat on... or watch TV with..."

"You can have my couch, Clarke," Octavia responded through a big smile and chuckled quietly.

"What about the bar stools? And the coffee table?"

"You can have all of it if you want it," Octavia shrugged. "I just figured you'd want to pick out some new stuff now that I'm abandoning you."

"Uh, you're not abandoning me," Clarke clarified, "and the stuff you picked out is cute anyways. I'd never be able to put it all together like you did. You have an eye, O."

"Well, take it then," Octavia offered. "Lincoln has surprisingly good taste, and I pretty much love his entire apartment so... I probably wouldn't have much to bring over anyways."

"How much do you want for everything?" Clarke asked as she mentally tallied up all of the hundreds, probably thousands of dollars Octavia had likely spent on everything over the years.

"You don't have to pay me, Clarke. It's no big deal," Octavia answered.

"I can't just take an entire apartment full of furniture for free," Clarke retorted. There was no way she was not going to pay her friend at least some amount of money for her generosity.

"We can talk about it later," Octavia tried to brush the conversation off.

"Fine," Clarke relented. "I'm feeling a nap is in order anyways."

Octavia smiled and continued to pack, and Clarke saw the look of joy written across her friend's face. She was so grateful for Lincoln, and anyone who could make Octavia this happy was okay in her book. Clarke walked out of her roommate's bedroom and back into her own before flopping down hard on her expensive mattress and quickly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Lexa fidgeted with the shiny silverware on the table as she waited for her client to arrive at the restaurant. It had been almost a week since they'd last met, and Eva Porter had insisted that their second meeting be held at a new restaurant which had just opened the past weekend. The political hopeful had again refused to meet the brunette in her office, explaining to Aden that she was tired of the 'formality' of business settings and instead made Lexa's young assistant book a table at an upscale restaurant for her third meeting with Lexa instead. Not wanting to disappoint a new client, Aden had agreed and was nearly cringing when he had to inform Lexa about the change in plans. She had assured the young man he'd done nothing wrong, but made a note to herself to persuade Eva to meet at her office going forward.

Except that didn't happen.

Lexa had tried to make it clear during their second dinner-slash-meeting that all future conferences would be held in her office. She explained that it was beneficial to their time together if they were surrounded by all of the resources they might need to reference as they hashed out the legal details and logistics of her political run. Although the beautiful politician seemed to understand and agree completely as she attentively listened and nodded throughout Lexa's explanation, Eva had had an entirely different plan of her own. A plan that could easily continue to succeed as long as she dealt with Lexa's young (and naive) assistant to schedule their meetings.

For the third time Aden hadn't had the courage to insist upon the location of the meeting at the office, and again Eva manipulated him into booking them a table at the hottest new restaurant in town. So here she sat, at a table for two in the swanky eatery that only drew popularity from the wealthy and powerful based on the menu prices alone. The brunette swallowed a small sigh as she pressed the home screen on her phone to check the time.

"Lexa," the sultry voice and soft touch on her shoulder broke the brunette from her train of thoughts, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Miss Porter," Lexa greeted with a forced smile as she straightened slightly in her chair.

"You can call me Eva, you know," the woman cooed as she slipped into the chair opposite Lexa.

If the brunette was being honest, she didn't prefer to call her clients by their first names. It was her way to keep relationships professional and respectful, and the fact that the young politician had taken her own liberties in calling her 'Lexa' when she hadn't been asked to do so irritated Lexa more than she cared to admit.

"I hope you don't mind that Aaron scheduled our meeting here," Eva directed at the brunette. "I insisted... again."

"His name is Aden," Lexa corrected. "And he wasn't aware that I prefer to conduct business with clients at my office after the preliminary meeting. Plus he doesn't sign off on the business credit account each month to realize that every meeting can't be held at places this lavish."

"Lavish?" Eva questioned as her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I would barely consider this to be a lavish environment, but I see where you're coming from."

Lexa had to pull every ounce of control together not to roll her eyes at the pretentiousness of the woman sitting across from her. Sure she had millions of dollars in the bank and powerful influence within the city, but there's such a thing as acting like a decent human being and this woman wasn't doing herself any favors at the moment. The brunette drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she gained her composure before they began their meeting.

The conversation was strained, something that Lexa wasn't used to during her meetings with clients. She had always been able to control her business talks and prided herself on always providing a comfortable pace of communication between herself and her client. But it was different with Eva Porter. The woman was constantly one-upping the brunette, and while Lexa may defend this behavior from other clients as them simply challenging her competency as a professional, Lexa was sure that this particular client was acting out of pure haughtiness and arrogance. The brunette fought the urge to roll her eyes more times than she could count as the woman continued to exert her narcissism over their entire conversation.

At the beginning of the meal when Lexa received her club soda from the waiter, Eva took it upon herself to pour the brunette a glass of wine from the expensive bottle she had just ordered for herself. The brunette bit her lip hard when Eva had assured her that she would cover the expense of the alcohol, knowing it would be difficult to try and write off a $400 bottle of wine as a business expense. As she reluctantly sipped on the dark wine practically forced upon her, Lexa let her mind wander to Clarke for a moment. She let herself imagine what the blonde might say to Eva if she were here at the table with them. A small snort bubbled up from the back of her throat as the brunette tried to catch herself from laughing out loud, and she quickly cleared her throat in an attempt to mask the sound.

"So Lexa," Eva said after she decided not to question the brunette's stifled laugh, "are you single?"

"I'm sorry?" Lexa asked with an astonished look on her face. Her wine glass was frozen in mid-air between the table and her lips as she waited for the other woman to explain herself.

"Come on, Lexa," the woman teased, "we can't possibly talk politics the entire night."

"That's where you are mistaken, Miss Porter," Lexa defended. "I make a living talking politics, and I'm quite good at it. In fact, it's how I have gained more clients over the past few years than most political lawyers gain through their entire career."

"You are exceptionally competent at your job, Lexa," the woman started, "but you did mention something important just then. Namely that I am your client."

The two looked at each other for a silent moment.

"And I asked you a question," Eva challenged. She broke into a bright smile a second later and continued. "So are you single? In a relationship? Or are you one of those 'it's complicated' kind of girls?"

"At times, yes. I can be," Lexa answered honestly. If this is how Eva wanted to play it, the brunette thought it would be better to humor the woman in the hopes that the dinner wouldn't drag out longer than necessary.

"And now?" the woman asked with a peaked interest.

"Now... it's complicated," Lex answered, trying her absolute hardest not to flush at the thoughts of Clarke and their kisses flashing through her mind.

"Well, Lexa," Eva started as she leaned over the table and dropped her voice an octave, "if there's ever anything I can do to... uncomplicate things... let me know."

Lexa remained stoic as she watched the woman in front of her lean back into her chair slowly while a sickeningly seductive smirk spread across bright red lips. The brunette had declined to respond and silently celebrated their waiter's exceptional timing as he delivered the check to the table. Lexa quickly snatched up the leather folder, grudgingly deciding to pay for the dinner with her own money as there was no way she could justify the expensive bottle of wine on her business card. She placed her credit card on top of the bill and handed it back to the waiter for processing.

"Are you alright?" Eva asked as she glanced over the table at Lexa.

"Yes, why?" the brunette asked.

"You were rolling your shoulder, and you looked like you were in pain," the woman stated as she motioned towards Lexa's tense arms.

"Oh," Lexa began as she finally realized that she had been doing. "It's nothing."

Her shoulders were still tense from the insane workout session she'd had with Anya two days ago, and there were a few tight knots that refused to go away since then. Eva didn't seem to think that was a good enough explanation, so she prodded a little further.

"A few too many extracurricular activities complicating things for you?" Eva asked as she very carefully chose her words.

"No," Lexa simply stated, "just a hard day at the gym."

The waiter walked back with Lexa's credit card and the receipt for the meal and handed it to the brunette who smiled and thanked him. She dug a $100 bill out of her purse and placed it into the leather folder before standing up to finally end this exhausting (and freaking expensive) client meeting.

Lexa reached down to pick up her briefcase and purse from the floor beneath the table and didn't notice the other woman move swiftly around the table to stand directly behind her. She also didn't notice how the woman's gaze lingered on her ass as she was leaning over to gather her things. When Lexa straightened herself back up and tried to turn towards Eva, she was stopped by the feeling of two hands lightly massaging her shoulders.

"Your shoulders are so tight," Eva purred into Lexa's ear from behind her. "If you ever need a soft pair of hands to loosen you up, let me know."

And at that Lexa finally whirled around to meet the other woman's slightly surprised gaze before opening her mouth and speaking calmly.

"Eva," Lexa started as she purposefully used the woman's first name to get her attention, "that was inappropriate."

"The comment or the massage?" the woman asked arrogantly.

"Both," Lexa responded. "I would appreciate it if we could find some kind of middle ground here. We need to be comfortable working around each other into the foreseeable future, and I'm not comfortable with physical contact that pushes professional boundaries."

"Okay," Eva quietly agreed. "I respect that, Lexa."

Satisfied with the woman's agreement for now, Lexa moved towards the door as Eva trailed just a step behind. When they stepped outside of the restaurant, the other woman extended her hand which Lexa shook willingly before saying their goodbyes and heading in opposite directions. Tonight proved to Lexa that this was going to be the most difficult and trying client she had ever dealt with in her career thus far. And as she walked away from the meeting, trying to relax her mind, the first person she thought of was Clarke. She wanted to fall into her arms, snuggle close to her in front of the TV, and fall asleep in each other's arms. She knew it wouldn't happen this night but took comfort in thinking it might happen someday soon.

* * *

 **Lexa: Are we still on for tonight, Clarke?**

 **Clarke: Of course!**

 **Lexa: Wonderful. Can I come to your apartment at 6pm?**

 **Lexa: We can walk to the restaurant together.**

 **Clarke: Sounds good. I'm really looking forward to tonight.**

 **Lexa: Me too. I'll see you in a few hours.**

 **Clarke: See you then!**

Lexa grinned like a schoolgirl with a crush as she read over the text messages she had just received from Clarke. Tonight was the night. It was their first date, and Lexa was feeling both nervous and extremely excited. She had virtually emptied her closet in an attempt to find the perfect outfit for the night, and 45 minutes later she thought she had pulled together the perfect look. Dark denim skinny jeans clung to her legs, accentuating her curves in the perfect way, and she wore a white shirt with thin horizontal lines of gold running across the front covered by a soft tan leather jacket. Octavia had commented on the jacket every time the brunette wore it stating that it 'worked' and contrasted the dark brown of her hair perfectly. Since Octavia's fashion sense was never to be questioned, Lexa had figured she couldn't go wrong with her selection.

She made her way into the kitchen where she had laid out on the counter everything that she would need for the night: cell phone, money, purse, keys. The brunette had decided earlier that she would stop by her favorite flower market for a small bouquet to give Clarke at the beginning of the night. The question between getting her flowers and not getting her flowers had swirled around her head the entire week, but Lexa ultimately decided that she would just go for it. She had given all of her friends flowers before, one could argue that the brunette was slightly obsessed with them, so it wasn't like it would be something she wouldn't ever do.

 **Clarke: I'm leaving the door unlocked. Just come in when you get here.**

Lexa huffed with disapproval after she read the text message while standing in front of a large display of wild flowers at the market. She didn't like how the blonde would often leave her door unlocked, knowing that you can't trust your neighbors in a big city like this. Her fingers quickly typed out a response before she turned her attention back towards the flowers in front of her.

 **Lexa: You shouldn't leave your door unlocked so much. It's dangerous.**

The brunette let her fingers trace over the tops of a few large bouquets. They were too large, she thought, at least for a first date. She had thought about going the romantic route and buying the blonde roses, but roses are so formal and Clarke was so... not formal. It was something that Lexa loved about the girl though, how she could manage to be light and carefree rather than uptight and fake whenever they were at a stuffy event, whether it was for the hospital or Lexa's law firm or a wedding or a funeral. Clarke always seemed to bring out the best in every situation, and Lexa had grown accustomed to the warmth and thoughtfulness that showed itself in everything she did.

 **Clarke: Fine. I will keep the door locked until 5:59pm. It will be unlocked for one minute exactly before you get here... that is if you make it on time.**

Lexa laughed softly and rolled her eyes. Clarke knew the brunette was a stickler for being on time to everything, so Lexa knew this was the blonde's way of giving her a teasing response. Lexa typed out her next message as quickly as before, finding herself smiling at the fact that they were still texting even though they were going to see each other in short while. The brunette could probably talk to Clarke 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and they still wouldn't run out of things to talk about. Even in their silence they communicated with meaningful looks and innocent touches. The brunette had never felt so comfortable around anyone in her life, and it was part of the reason their friendship was so strong.

 **Lexa: I will most certainly be on time. Don't you know me at all, Clarke Griffin?**

She turned her attention back to the flowers once more, and her gaze settled on a row of smaller bouquets at the bottom of the display. Lexa looked each of the bunches over and reached down to pick up one in particular that had a few more shades of purple in it than the rest. It was a beautiful mashup of colors including orange, purple, indigo, white and raspberry with wisps of subtle greens to fill the spaces in between flowers. There was a long piece of twine wrapped that around the stems a few times and was tied into a bow just under the bottoms of the flowers. It was simple, it was beautiful, it was perfect.

 **Clarke: Alas I do. But must we speak this formally throughout the entire evening, Miss Woods? I shall tire of it quickly.**

This time Lexa laughed with no restraint as she read the blonde's message a couple of times over. It was such a 'Clarke' response, and it was another thing the brunette loved about her. She could literally take any conversation and spin it into something quite comical as naturally as it was to simply introduce herself. It was probably why Clarke was usually the center of attention at most parties; she had a way with words that sparked life into every conversation she had.

"That will be seven dollars, please," the small woman behind the counter at the market told the brunette.

"Keep the change," Lexa said as she smiled and handed the woman a ten dollar bill.

"Thank you, Lexa," the woman responded with a smile of her own.

"You're welcome, Mayumi," Lexa said with another smile. She had gotten to know the older woman over the years she visited the market, and the two had been on a first name basis for a while now.

"They are for someone special," Mayumi said with a twinkle in her eye. "I can see it in your eyes."

Lexa felt her face flush slightly as her eyes ducked away from the woman. Yeah, they were for someone special. Someone really special. And the brunette knew that there was no way of hiding it from the wise woman who stood a few feet shorter than her but had a greater insight to life than Lexa could ever imagine to have at her age.

"They're for Clarke," Lexa finally responded, meeting the twinkling eyes once again.

"Ah," the woman nodded knowingly, "the cute blonde doctor. Hang on to that one."

"I intend too," Lexa replied softly as she fiddled with the bouquet in her hands.

The two women said their goodbyes, and Lexa turned quickly to head towards Clarke's apartment. She smiled as she replayed the conversation she'd just had with Mayumi in the market and realized that she had probably told the woman about every one of her friends by now. If she wasn't buying flowers for herself, she was buying them for one of her friends, and Mayumi always told her how lucky her friends were to have someone bringing them flowers all the time. It was something Lexa loved to do, probably because she loved flowers so much, but it always gave her joy to place a smile on someone's face with a beautiful bouquet.

She stepped up to the blonde's apartment door at 5:57pm and hesitated for a moment before knocking. If she knew Clarke Griffin but at all, she knew that there was no way the girl would actually be unlocking the door at 5:59pm and didn't already have it unlocked since their text conversation earlier. Lexa took these few minutes to reapply her lip gloss and make sure her hair looked just right. It was in loose curls that cascaded over her left shoulder, the way Clarke had often complimented her on wearing it. After she readjusted her jacket, Lexa turned the door handle and pushed it open to walk into the apartment.

"Clarke?"

"Are you early? Give me two minutes!" Clarke yelled from her bedroom.

Lexa smiled and shook her head as she turned to close the front door. She should have known that the blonde wouldn't be ready on time; it just wasn't in her nature. All of the nervousness that had left her while she was texting Clarke at the flower market suddenly came rushing back as she felt herself fiddling with the small bouquet between her fingers. She looked into the kitchen and decided to find a vase while she was waiting to put the flowers in before they headed to the restaurant.

"I didn't hear you unlock the door a minute ago," Lexa yelled playfully as she filled the vase she found with water from the sink.

"That's because I didn't," Clarke shot back through a smile as she appeared in the hallway coming towards the kitchen.

"But you said you would," Lexa responded as she put on her serious expression even though they were just teasing each other.

"And as you once said to me, you know me well enough to know when I'm lying," Clarke said with a grin.

Lexa just narrowed her eyes and tried to suppress a smile before reaching for the flowers lying on the counter and untying the twine wrapped around the stems. She looked back up at Clarke before nodding slightly towards the bouquet.

"I got you flowers."

"I see that," Clarke said as a smile lit up her face. "Thank you. They're beautiful."

Lexa smiled and continued to unwind the rough string, noticing the way it scraped along the soft pads of her fingers each time she moved to unwind it further off the flowers' stems. She swallowed quietly as her heart fluttered erratically in her chest, grateful that the blonde had liked the gesture.

"I would kiss you hello, but I wouldn't want to smudge your gloss," Clarke spoke softly. Lexa immediately looked up and raised her eyebrows just slightly before responding.

"I can reapply."

That response appeared to have pleased the blonde because she took a small step forward without any hesitation and brought her face in-line with the brunette's just before connecting their lips. Lexa could have sworn her heart stopped at the contact, and she knew her breathing had. They stayed like that for a lingering moment, their lips unmoving but molded into each other, until Clarke slowly separated her mouth from Lexa's. It was only when the blonde's lips were off hers that Lexa finally felt oxygen fill her lungs again, and she looked hazily over at Clarke who was still just inches away from her. The blonde's cheeks turned pink, and Lexa smiled shyly as she looked back at the flowers still in her hands and finally placed them into the vase.

"Should we get going?" Clarke asked as she reached for her keys on the counter.

Lexa simply nodded and took a step back to allow the blonde to head out the front door first. The brunette stepped through and waited for a moment while Clarke locked the apartment door from the outside, and the two of them turned to start down the hallway. They made small talk during the short walk from Clarke's apartment to the restaurant and were greeted with an almost heavenly smell as soon as they stepped foot inside the front lobby. The restaurant was decorated tastefully, but the walls were bright red and the chairs a mustard gold color with various pieces of art and what could best be described as cultural knick-knacks covering almost every available surface in the moderately small space.

Just to the left of them were three giant iron skillets, each measuring a good 4 feet wide. Talented chefs dressed in all black were busy loading fresh meats and vegetables onto the steaming surface, as they sauteed them on a thick bed of noodles and poured long streams of what was most likely some kind of broth over the sizzling food. Tall billows of steam rose up from the cooking surface each time a fresh stream of broth was poured, and the chefs stirred the food with two pointed sticks around the surface of the hot skillet. The meal preparation looked to be a show in itself, and the two women shared an excited look before being approached by a dark haired woman who promptly showed them to a table.

After each ordering a glass of whatever beer was on tap tonight, the two girls made their way to the buffet to start concocting their own unique orders. They started with a modest layer of noodles and headed straight for the wide range of fresh vegetables immediately thereafter. Taking a little bit of everything they wanted, the women carefully read the instructions hanging over the top of the buffet on how to mix the sauce for their meal according to spice levels. Clarke was the first person to admit that she was a wimp when it came to spicy food, so she trained in on the most mild selection written. Lexa loved her food spicy but didn't want to chance making herself uncomfortable during their date, so she opted for one level above mild.

When they got up to the cooking station, they each handed their bowls off to the chefs who promptly flung their meals onto the large skillet and started poking at them with the sticks like they had seen earlier when they first arrived. Clarke had to stop herself from laughing when Lexa became flustered that she couldn't understand the chef was asking her if she wanted peanuts. The blonde finally answered 'no' for the both of them, knowing that Lexa wasn't too fond of peanuts in her food. Clarke knew that she liked peanut butter, and she liked them plain, but she pretty much hated them in anything else. It was kind of like how Clarke was with raisins.

"He was asking you if you wanted peanuts in your food," Clarke clarified after they had each sat back down with their steaming plates of freshly cooked food.

"Oh," Lexa responded as she finally understood. "I don't like peanuts in my food."

"I know," Clarke simply stated and let a small smile fall on her lips. Lexa looked at her for a moment before returning the smile and looking down at her plate. She looked to the chopsticks on the table and back up to Clarke. Crap. How was she going to eat her food with chopsticks without looking like a total fool? She definitely hadn't thought this part through. Just as she was about to start panicking, she saw Clarke reach over the table for a fork tucked in to the canister that held a few paper napkins and hand it to her.

"Calm down, here's a fork," the blonde said as Lexa wrapped her fingers around it. She shot Clarke a glare and received a hearty laugh in return, but she was pleased when Clarke took a fork for herself too and dug it into the food on her plate.

They ate for a little while in silence, both giving each other 'this tastes amazing' looks before Clarke reached her fork over to Lexa's plate to stab a water chestnut and pop it into her mouth. They both sampled a few vegetables from the other's meal that they hadn't put in their own and discussed what changes they would make to their meals the next time they came here. After thoroughly demolishing their food and their drinks, Lexa paid for the meal and they headed back to Clarke's apartment.

* * *

"I'm just saying that you totally macked on that girl that night, whether you remember it or not," Clarke said with a laugh as she pushed open her apartment door and lead the brunette inside. They had been reminiscing about a trip they had taken with Octavia and Raven about three years ago to Mexico, and Lexa had been adamantly denying her flirtatious behavior with the adorable bartender that was hooking the group up with drinks all night long at a bar none of them could actually remember the name of.

"That story is full of lies," Lexa grumbled as she shook her head. "And the fact that everyone so conveniently forgot the name of the bar doesn't add any credence to your claim."

"Whatever you say," Clarke said with a smile as she placed her purse down on the kitchen counter. "I guess it should have clicked for me that night that you have a thing for blondes."

Lexa had carefully laid her own bag next to Clarke's on the counter and turned her head quickly to meet sparkling blue eyes staring right at her. She felt her heart thud in her chest before a slow blush crept over the tops of her cheeks.

"Just one blonde," she confessed quietly and waited in silence for a response.

Clarke said nothing before she quickly stepped forward and captured Lexa's lips in a heated kiss, and the brunette's eyes closed immediately at the first touch of the soft lips against hers. Their lips remained locked in this position for a moment before Clarke's hands came up to tangle in long brunette locks, silently urging another strong kiss to overtake them. Their mouths danced together, Lexa constantly changing the position of the kiss in order to taste Clarke's lips from every angle. It was chaste but passionate, as both women pushed and pulled at the other's lips without fully deepening the kiss. They slowly pulled apart after a few minutes, and the blonde slowly slid her fingers out from Lexa's hair and tangled them around her neck.

"I'm so glad we did this," Clarke whispered against the brunette's lips.

"Me too," Lexa whispered back before gently capturing the blonde's lips in another small kiss. "I could kiss you forever."

The brunette's face immediately darkens with a deep blush as soon as she realizes what she just said. It was the truth, but it was an intense and very self-revealing truth. Lexa hadn't been that honest with with her feelings towards another person in her life, and it almost frightened her to hear herself say such an intimate thing out loud. Then as quickly as those thoughts had passed through her mind, Lexa felt another wave of embarrassment hit her when she realized that the blonde was probably referring to the date and not the kiss when she said that she was so glad they did this.

"You meant the date," Lexa said sheepishly, wanting to crawl into a hole at this very moment.

"I did mean the date," Clarke said with a smile as she tugged herself within a breath's distance of the brunette's mouth, "but I could see myself thoroughly enjoying kissing you back forever."

The brunette swallowed, and her initial embarrassment subsided slightly at the blonde's reassuring words. She felt her fingers dancing around the outside of Clarke's hips, desperate to pull her body closer but not sure if they could even get any closer. Lexa felt her heart flutter again as she gazed intently into the sparkling blue eyes she had become so familiar with over the years and waited for the blonde to speak again.

"But in all honesty, your lips are so much more kissable than mine," Clarke finally husked out before leaning in and placing a tiny kiss on the swell of the brunette's plump lower lip.

"I beg to differ," Lexa responded with her eyes trained on the brunette's mouth before slowly descending for another round of soft exploratory kisses.


	9. Chapter 9

**** CHAPTER WARNING: Brief description of traumatic injury. ****

"Thanks for helping out this morning," Abby said as she and Clarke scrubbed out of the four hour surgery they had just finished together.

"No problem," Clarke answered quickly, "I wasn't busy, and I wouldn't miss the opportunity to scrub in on a heart transplant with one of the most respected cardiothoracic surgeons in the country."

"You flatter me," Abby says with a smile and a dramatic bat of her eyelashes.

"Just quoting the article you were featured in for this month's Top Doctors magazine," Clarke responded with a smile.

Her mom truly was an exceptional surgeon, and Clarke was so proud of her. She'd often been asked by people whether she felt like she was simply living in the shadows of her mother's success, but Clarke would always honestly answer that she didn't feel that way. The blonde was a rock star in her own right. She had finished medical school an entire year earlier than most students and had gained a stellar reputation within the medical community not only for her surgical talents but almost more talked about were her groundbreaking research pieces that had been published in numerous medical journals and textbooks. If in the future Clarke ever felt compelled to commit herself to the medical research field rather than spending her days working in an Emergency Room, the transition would be nothing but seamless since she had already made such an impressive name for herself.

"Well, enough shop talk... I want to hear what you've been up to lately," Abby said to her daughter as they wound through the long hospital hallways towards the staff locker rooms.

"A lot of work," Clarke said with a sigh, to which Abby nodded knowingly. The life of a surgeon was always a busy one, but the older woman was curious about more than her daughter's work life. She had been told by a little birdy that Clarke had been on a date recently and was eager to pry for more information... she was her mother after all.

"And what about your personal life?" Abby asked as she tugged at the bottom of her navy blue scrub top. "Any new developments there?"

"Octavia moved out," Clarke offered, not really wanting to get into anything more personal than that even though she knew her mother was probably dying to ask about her love life. "She's letting me keep the furniture though."

"Sounds like a divorce," Abby joked and Clarke laughed.

"Yeah, except I'm actually going to miss her when she's gone," the blonde responded.

"I guess you'll just have to move on and start dating again," the older woman keenly teased, which earned another chuckle from Clarke. As they rounded the final bend before reaching the locker rooms, both women slowed their pace when they noticed a familiar face walking towards them carrying two coffees in to-go cups.

"Lexa," Clarke beamed as she tried to control the skip in her step from making herself look stupid, "fancy seeing you here."

"Well I figured after the famous mother-daughter power surgeons crushed their heart transplant surgery this morning, they would be deserving of a quality beverage to celebrate their victory," Lexa explained with a smile to match the blonde's own.

" _To celebrate their victory? You are so adorable,_ " Clarke desperately wanted to say to the brunette as she took one of the cups of coffee currently being offered to her. She had texted Lexa that morning to thank her again for the wonderful date last night when she mentioned that she was heading into the hospital to help her mother with a heart transplant for a 13 year old girl who had been on the donor's list since she was born.

"Thanks," Clarke offered to the brunette instead, "the coffee here is crap."

"So Lexa, I head that you're working with Eva Porter during her run for city council," Abby interjected after she took the cup of coffee that was being offered to her. The brunette quickly glanced over at Clarke, who had scrunched her lips over to one side of her face but remained silent.

"Yes," Lexa confirmed, "professionally speaking she will make a great city council member. She was born for politics."

"And personally speaking?" Abby prodded as she took a sip of her steaming hot coffee before quickly adding, "off the record of course."

"She's a handful," the brunette responded simply. "I had to take Aden off her case temporarily because she kept talking him into setting up our meetings at restaurants rather than in my office."

"Maybe she has a crush on you," Abby teased the brunette with a smile and a wag of her eyebrows. "She is a politician after all. It could be her sly way of taking you on a date."

Clarke shot Lexa an annoyed look, but Lexa kept her poker face on before speaking again.

"I'm not interested," Lexa coolly stated. "In her specifically, but as a general rule I don't date clients."

"Probably a good idea," Abby replied.

"Yeah, that's definitely a good rule," Clarke added with a hint of a smirk on her lips.

Lexa eyed the blonde and felt a light blush dusting her cheeks at her best friend's comment. Of course Clarke would say something like that; Lexa knew she detested Eva Porter and hearing the subtle protectiveness from the blonde just now made her want to kiss the girl even more than she had wanted to the moment she laid eyes on her a few minutes ago.

"Well, Lexa, once you do end up meeting a non-client you like enough to start dating, you make sure to introduce her to me so that I can weigh in on whether she's good enough for you," Abby told the brunette in her most motherly tone.

All Lexa could do was widen her eyes and stare at the woman, not sure how to respond given the fact that she had just gone on a date with her daughter the night before. And kissed her daughter. A lot. As if sensing Lexa's discomfort, Clarke spoke up instead.

"Mom," the blonde chastised.

"What?" Abby asked as innocently as possible. "I'm just saying that Lexa deserves a special girl, and I'm usually a great judge of character."

"Mom," Clarke interjected again, "I don't think Lexa wants to talk about her love life right now?"

"Fine," Abby finally relented as she raised her hands up in surrender. "Lexa, you're off the hook... for now..."

Clarke saw the brunette swallow as her mother's focus shifted from her friend and suddenly back to her.

"Clarke," Abby started, "maybe you want to tell me about the date you had last night?"

And with that, the blonde's head snapped to look over at her mother who was giving her a 'why didn't you tell me you were dating' look, complete with a cocked eyebrow and everything. Lexa's eyes nearly popped out of her head, and Clarke choked on a few words that never quite made it out of her throat. As Abby continued to stand her ground, Lexa started to panic internally.

 _"By the way Clarke reacted, she obviously didn't tell her mother about our date. How did she know about our date? Does she know it was with me? What if she doesn't approve? But Abby loves me... doesn't she?"_ These and a dozen more thoughts swirled around Lexa's head as she found herself at a loss for words, her feet riveted to the floor.

"Well?" Abby asked after Clarke was silent for a moment.

"How did you know I even had a date last night?" Clarke questioned, suddenly turning the tables on her mother.

"I got a cryptic text message from Raven this morning telling me to ask you about your date last night," Abby said as she crossed her arms, careful not to spill the coffee in her hand.

"Well, I'm going to fucking kill Raven for opening her big fat mouth," Clarke said quite matter-of-factly.

Abby huffed at her daughter's course language but didn't say anything further about it. It was then that the older woman had noticed Lexa uncomfortably shifting on her feet and looking down at the floor, desperately attempting to avoid eye contact with her or Clarke. She narrowed her eyes slightly at the girl before her train of thought was cut short.

"And since when do you and Raven text message?" Clarke wanted to know.

"I... reached out to her earlier in the week... to discuss an experimental surgery that might just give her back partial use of her leg," Abby explained slowly.

"You guys have been over this so many times," Clarke said with an exasperated edge on her voice.

She wanted nothing more than to see her friend walk again without the use of the clunky brace, but Raven had been so adamant to Abby each time they spoke about it that she didn't want to take the risk of disabling herself even more if the surgery didn't work. Clarke also felt a bit annoyed by her mother that she was sticking her nose in on an orthopedic surgery when her specialty was cardio. But like any Griffin, nothing could stop the older doctor from trying and trying and trying to fix the issue.

"I know, Clarke," Abby told her daughter, "but I could see how much pain Raven was in during the party last week."

"You don't think we all see her in pain every day?" Clarke snapped, suddenly feeling very protective of her friend and what she thought her mother was insinuating.

"I didn't say that," Abby calmly responded as to not offend her daughter. "I'm just saying that I noticed that night, and she did seem a lot more receptive to the surgery when we talked on the phone this time."

Clarke seemed to back down slightly when she heard that Raven had shown some interest in the surgery this time around. As long as the brunette was making the decision for herself, it was all that mattered to Clarke. She knew that her mother could be pushy, hell, that's how she got to be just as pushy herself. But as long as Abby wasn't pressuring her friend into making an important and serious decision like this, she didn't want to fight about it.

"Anyways, we can talk about this more later," Abby said before turning to Lexa. "I'm sure you have more interesting things to be doing with your day than listening to a mother and daughter bickering with each other."

"I should be heading back to the office," Lexa agreed before looking over to the blonde. "But I did need to ask Clarke something before I go."

"Clarke, why don't I just meet you in the lounge in fifteen minutes? We can finish our bickering then," Abby said with a small smirk.

"Sure," Clarke said with a small nod. The two girls watched as Abby walked briskly down the hallway and disappear into the locker room. When they were finally alone, they met each other's gaze again before the brunette spoke.

"So..." Lexa started slowly, "your mother knows about the date."

"Raven, I swear," Clarke huffed out as she shook her head, "my mom's going to be hounding me all day about this."

"Sorry," Lexa responded with a slight tinge of hurt in her voice.

"No," Clarke quickly reassured the brunette with a light touch on her forearm, "I don't care if she knows about the date. It's just... I just..."

"Just?" the brunette asked as she raised her eyebrows. Clarke let out an exaggerated sigh and looked squarely into the bright green eyes as she searched her own for answers.

"This... between us... it's new, and..." Clarke stuttered before she paused for a long moment, "I really like it. And if my mom knows so early on that I'm dating my best friend, she's going to have a heyday with it."

Relief washed over the brunette as she understood what Clarke was trying to say so ineloquently, she might add. Lexa nodded her head once, but before she could say anything to respond the blonde was speaking again.

"Not that she won't have a heyday with it even after we've been dating for a while," Clarke found herself saying without thinking. Suddenly she realized what she was implying though and snapped her eyes back to the brunette to backtrack. "Not that I'm saying that we would still be dating for that long... not that I wouldn't want us to be dating for that long... I'm just trying not to imply..."

Lexa finally had to let herself smirk when the blonde trailed off, seemingly too embarrassed and tongue-tied to continue on her current tangent. When she felt a strong slap to her left shoulder, the brunette let out a laugh and watched as Clarke turned an adorable shade of pink right before her eyes.

"You suck," Clarke spat out as she pulled her fingers through her hair.

"I didn't say anything that entire time," Lexa defended herself. "Besides I think you're adorable when you're flustered."

"Wasn't there something you needed to ask me before you left?" Clarke reminded the brunette, desperate to try and steer them to another, less embarrassing, conversation.

"Right," Lexa sighed as she smiled, "Anya's leaving tomorrow, so she was hoping we could all make to The Ark tonight for a farewell drink... or round of drinks."

"Yeah, definitely! Sounds fun," Clarke responded with a smile.

"Great," Lexa said as she returned the smile. "Did you want to just meet or can I walk you there?"

"Won't Anya be with you?" Clarke asked.

"Oh yeah," Lexa responded. The brunette quite honestly wasn't thinking about how Anya would be tagging along with them if they walked to the club together. Her only thought previous was that she would be able to spend a little extra time with Clarke... and maybe hold her hand as they walked the few blocks to the club to meet their friends.

"Why don't you and Anya come by around eight?" Clarke asked as she stepped closer to the brunette. "And don't be surprised if I smear your lip gloss again."

Lexa felt her eyes drop down to Clarke's lips as she swallowed thickly and did everything in her power not to lean forward and kiss the blonde right there in the middle of the hospital hallway. Clarke let a smile slowly crawl across her lips as she watched the brunette's eyes trained on her mouth for another long moment before their gaze finally met.

"I can't wait," Lexa finally whispered before giving the blonde a small smile and turning on her heels to leave.

* * *

Clarke had successfully dodged her mother's lingering questions about this mysterious date Raven had informed her of, and she now found herself rifling through all of the clothes in her closet as she tried to pick out something perfect for the evening. Her hair was still wrapped in a towel, just having stepped out of the shower a few minutes ago to freshen up after her impromptu full day of surgeries at the hospital. Luckily they had all gone extremely well, and she was still full of energy for what was bound to be a fun night ahead.

 **Clarke: Already missing your fashion advice...**

 **Octavia: Definitely go sexy tonight.**

 **Clarke: And why is that?**

"Because I'm going to be looking _hella_ sexy tonight, and you need Lexa staring at you and not me," Octavia said as she came around the corner of Clarke's bedroom.

"How did you get in here?!" Clarke exclaimed as she whipped her head around to the sound of her friend's voice behind her and shaking off the initial shock of the unannounced girl suddenly in her apartment.

"Well, I still have a key technically," Octavia replied as she dangled her key chain in front of Clarke's face, "but I just walked right through the front door because somebody left it unlocked again."

"Lexa and Anya are coming over, so I just left it open," Clarke told her friend.

"I guess I'll have to train Lexa in..." Octavia mumbled while looking around the blonde's bedroom.

"Train her in for what?" Clarke asked in utter confusion.

"For her new role of taking care of your sorry ass," Octavia said as she rolled her eyes.

"What?!"

"Yeah," the brunette cut in, "like making sure the door gets locked, and that you don't try to cook anything ever, and remember that time I saved the apartment from burning down when you put your phone in the toaster oven?"

Clarke was crossing her arms by this point and staring silently at Octavia with a scowl on her face.

"The phone in the toaster oven was a one time thing," Clarke weakly defended herself.

"It should be a none time thing!" Octavia belted at the blonde with a laugh.

"I'll agree that that wasn't my best work," Clarke finally admitted while Octavia was still chuckling.

"Seriously for being some kind of brilliant surgeon, you are such an idiot sometimes," Octavia teased the blonde.

"Why are you here again?" Clarke shot back as she whipped a random shirt at the brunette.

"I took a few of your things by accident," Octavia said as she swung a canvas tote down off her shoulder and handed it to the blonde. Clarke inspected the contents to see a sweatshirt and a few pairs of fuzzy socks. Normally the blonde wouldn't have cared much about getting such trivial items back, but when she noticed the sweatshirt at the bottom of the bag was her favorite sweatshirt that she thought she had lost six months ago, she was suddenly overjoyed.

"My sweatshirt! I thought I lost it during that ski trip!" Clarke nearly screamed as she pawed the sweatshirt from the bottom of the bag, sending the bunched socks flying out of the bag and onto the floor. She gripped the light blue sweatshirt until her knuckles turned white and lifted it up to her face in a half-sniff, half-snuggle move that made Octavia quirk an eyebrow.

"Should I give you two a room?"

"Shut up," Clarke snapped at the brunette with a playful glare in her eyes. "I am reuniting with my long lost sweatshirt, give me a minute."

"Hey, why do you have this anyways?" Clarke asked curiously as she realized that her friend must have been hoarding it since that fateful ski trip she thought she had lost it on.

"I borrowed it that last night of the trip," Octavia started, "and apparently, maybe in some drunken stupor, I shoved it into my ski bag. So then when I was moving some of my stuff into Lincoln's storage locker at his–our apartment, I noticed a lump where there shouldn't be a lump and... there it was!"

"Thanks, O," Clarke said as she wrapped the brunette up into a strong hug.

"No problem," Octavia responded as she returned the hug. She knew how important that particular sweatshirt was to Clarke, and she remembered how crushed the blonde was when she thought she had lost it. "I also wanted to give you your key back."

"Ah," Clarke said as she pulled away from the hug, "the time has come, huh?"

"Clarke, don't make this all mushy," Octavia warned as she slipped the apartment key off her key ring. "I'm only moving a few streets away. We will still see each other all the time. Like tonight."

"I know," Clarke said with a smile as she took the key from the brunette.

"Plus, maybe you can give it to Lexa now," Octavia offered with a little wag of her eyebrows.

"We've gone on one date, O," Clarke reminded her, "we are definitely not ready for that step yet."

"No?" Octavia asked, unconvinced by the blonde's statement. "You two are so perfect for each other, it's sick."

Clarke said nothing in response other than attempting to stop the goofy smile spreading across her lips as her cheeks flushed pink. She was so damn giddy about this whole new development with her best friend that the blonde was finding it impossible not to grin or giggle or blush like a schoolgirl with a crush. She relished in the feeling since it had been so long since she'd dated anyone, and quite honestly Clarke wasn't sure if she had ever felt this excited at the beginning of a relationship before. All she did know was that she hadn't stopped thinking about Lexa since their date last night, and she had a feeling that the brunette would be holding residence in her mind into the foreseeable future.

"Aw, look at you blushing!" Octavia teased as she pointed a finger at Clarke's flushed face.

"It's pretty awesome," the blonde said as she nodded her head and smirked. "I mean, this thing between us. It's pretty awesome. I've honestly never had a better first date."

"See? You're adorable," Octavia said with a shrug of her shoulders as Clarke bit her lip and turned back towards her closet. "Which reminds me! You need to not look adorable tonight."

"Huh?" Clarke asked in confusion as she turned her head back around to look at the brunette.

"You need to look drop dead sexy tonight," Octavia purred, "so that all Lexa will be able to think about is ripping whatever small amount of clothes are on you, off you."

"Again, O," Clarke reminded her friend, "we have only been on one date. I don't think there will be any ripping off of clothes tonight."

"But you want there to at least be a possibility," Octavia stated as she turned her attention to Clarke's closet.

The beginnings of any new relationship usually include the desire to impress the other person, but Clarke found herself more often than not focused on just being herself since she and the brunette already knew each other so well. Not that there wasn't any room for a little... enticement... but the ease that their friendship brought into this new part of their relationship was like a breath of fresh air and made everything seem just so much more organic.

"Here," Octavia said as she shoved a shirt on a hanger towards Clarke, "wear this with your red bra underneath. A pair of dark skinnies... blue not black... and your red heels. And wear your hair up."

"Anything else?" Clarke deadpanned with a roll of her eyes.

"Go light on the makeup," she warned the blonde, "with the amount of cleavage you're about to have on display you won't need much else to get anyone's attention."

"Got it," the blonde replied with a small smile.

"Well, my work here is done," Octavia announced before grabbing her keys and heading towards the door to leave. Clarke busied herself with finding her red bra and matching underwear as Octavia grabbed the door frame and peeked her head back inside for a moment.

"If you want a pop of color, go for a tinted pink lip gloss."

"Got it," Clarke responded, not bothering to look up from the dresser drawer she was currently digging through.

"It will make her want to kiss you!" Octavia called out from the hallway.

"Got it!" Clarke yelled back as she smiled and shook her head from side to side.

That girl was like a Tasmanian devil – arrives and leaves in a whirlwind of action. It's one of the reasons Clarke always thought that Lincoln was the perfect person for her. He was calm and collected always, acting as an anchor for her when she let her emotions get the best of her. Lincoln was always there to comfort her in a way that Octavia never had from a man, and Clarke knew that it was something the brunette needed in her life more than the other girl would care to admit it.

The next two hours went by so quickly that Clarke was shocked to see she only had 15 minutes until Lexa and Anya would be showing up to walk her to The Ark for their going away celebration for the Army major. She hurried to put the final touches on her makeup before searching for the perfect purse to bring with her to the club. She decided on a long black leather clutch that had a small handle that slipped just around the wrist to help keep it secure in case it was dropped. Clarke heard the door being opened and the familiar voice of her friends chatting between themselves, so she took a deep breath and headed out to greet them.

"Hey," Clarke directed at the two women with a devastatingly bright smile and a rather pronounced bounce in her step as she closed the distance between herself and her friends.

No response was offered from Lexa who was currently frozen in place as she watched the beautiful blonde sauntering towards her in what could only be described as hands-down the most sexy outfit the brunette had ever seen in her life. The blonde was wearing a black sleeveless and appropriately sheer blouse that plummeted at the neckline to show a tiny sliver of the bright red push-up bra she wore underneath. Dark blue skinny jeans hugged the Clarke's curves in all the right ways, and the classic red heels she wore tied the whole look together. Her blonde tresses were pulled back into a messy bun at the bottom of her neck as a few curls softly framed her face on one side. Anya turned her head towards her silent friend and let her eyes flick down to notice Lexa's mouth sightly agape before rolling her eyes and turning back towards Clarke.

"Hey," Anya offered, as her friend clearly didn't have control of her vocal cords at this point in time.

"You guys look good," Clarke told the women as she took one last step before leaning in to capture Lexa's still parted lips in a kiss. Anya had to keep herself from snickering as she witnessed her completely useless friend barely able to respond to the kiss before Clarke pulled away.

"You look quite nice yourself, Clarke," Anya said as she gentured up and down the other blonde's body before thrusting a thumb towards Lexa and stating, "you're probably driving this one crazy right now."

Clarke smirked triumphantly as she looked over to Lexa, catching her just as her eyes trailed back up the length of her body. She saw the brunette swallow as their eyes locked, and the blonde suddenly felt a rush of butterflies swarming in her chest as they gazed at each other for a few moments before Anya finally spoke.

"Sorry to interrupt all the eye-fucking that's happening right now, but we really should be leaving."

Clarke finally tore her eyes away from Lexa's and pushed between the two as she headed towards the front door. The brunette turned toward Anya and slapped her shoulder hard, which did nothing but earn her a return punch to her own shoulder just as forceful. They stepped into the hallway as Clarke lingered behind to lock the door behind them and was pleasantly surprised when she felt Lexa's hand slip into hers immediately as they started on their way to the club.

* * *

"Hey bitches!" Raven yelled over the club music as she arrived at the high top where Lexa, Clarke and Anya were already sitting.

"Hey," Clarke responded as she turned to face the brunette.

"Holy cleavage, Clarke!" the brunette exclaimed as her eyes widened and dropped down to the blonde's chest.

"That was my doing," Octavia chimed in as she popped her head over Raven's shoulder. "Your boobs have never looked better, Griffin."

"Holy shit, you must be dying!" Raven joked as she pointed over at Lexa. "Aren't you dying?!"

"Can everyone please stop talking about my boobs?" Clarke interjected loudly.

"Uh, if you didn't want us talking about them you wouldn't have put them on display like that," Raven said as she gestured a finger between the blonde's breasts.

"Give her a break," Octavia said as she placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Who's buying the first round?"

"I am," Anya responded quickly before standing up to head towards the bar. "Tequila?"

"Tequila!" the group shouted in agreement.

"Sorry," Clarke said as she leaned towards Lexa who was looking a tiny bit flustered, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Trust me, Clarke," Lexa quickly responded, "I'm uncomfortable for an entirely different reason. You look stunning."

The blonde felt her cheeks inflame with a deep blush as she immediately understood the brunette's admission and felt a throb of her own between her legs as she flicked her eyes down to Lexa's plump, and now fully glossed, lips. She let a smirk turn up the corner of her mouth as she realized that brunette had not been wearing any lip gloss when she arrived at the apartment earlier, clearly having prepared to receive a hello kiss like Clarke had mentioned she would give her.

"You look amazing as well," Clarke complimented her best friend, who only responded by flashing her a shy smile.

The group chatted happily until Anya returned, followed promptly by a waitress with a tray full of shot glasses, lime wedges, a few salt shakers, and of course a bottle of tequila. Raven took it upon herself to take charge of the tequila bottle while they rest of them readied their shots with salt on one hand and a lime wedge in the other. After a hearty toast to Anya, everyone downed their shots and Raven immediately began to pour a second round. Lexa groaned as she continued to suck on her lime wedge to help dissapate the lingering taste of the strong alcohol on her tongue, and the rest of the group broke out into laughter. Clarke found herself laughing along but paying more attention to the way that the brunette's full lips were playing with the lime between them.

"At least you have to participate in the toast, Lexa," Raven called her out as she finished pouring the next round of shots.

"I'll make it," Lexa responded quickly as she held up her shot glass in front of Anya. "To the brave men and the fierce women who fight to keep the promise of freedom alive and well in this United States of America. We humbly thank you for your service."

"Hear, Hear!" the group shouted loudly as they downed their second round of shots.

Lexa caught Anya's gaze for just a moment and could have sworn that she saw a tiny glint in the soldier's eye before her head tipped back as she dutifully swallowed her tequila. Lexa knew there was no way that she could keep up with the group if she kept taking shot after shot, so she simply set her still full glass back down onto the table and watched as the group prepared a third round.

"I'll grab us some water," Clarke reassured Lexa right before taking her third shot in one smooth motion. The brunette nodded in response, thankful that Clarke and the rest of her friends were letting her off the hook from drinking herself into a stupor before the night barely began. She watched as Clarke hopped off her chair and quickly made her way over to the bar and let her gaze slowly lower down the length of the blonde's body as she walked away.

"Busted!" Raven yelled directly into Lexa's ear, having caught her friend slyly checking out her other friend.

"Dammit, Raven!" Lexa wailed as she cupped a hand over her ear and turned towards Raven. The brunette's face was hovering just a few inches away from Lexa's and a sloppy grin was spreading across her lips.

"You are so hot for her bod," Raven quipped, knowing it would embarrass the other brunette.

"Shut up," Lexa growled, hoping to silence her friend before Clarke made it back to the table.

"It's okay, I don't blame you," Raven sympathized, "her bod is quite hot."

"Raven..." the brunette heard herself warning the girl.

"I'm just giving you shit, Commander. Lighten up," Raven teased as she hit Lexa's shoulder playfully.

Just as Lexa's mouth opened to respond, Clarke appeared from behind her and set two glasses of ice water on the table. Before she could sit down, the blonde felt Lexa grab her wrist lightly.

"Should we go dance?" Lexa asked with a mixture of hope and impatience in her eyes.

"Sure," Clarke responded with a smile.

It wasn't like Lexa to initiate dancing, but the blonde didn't find herself complaining at this change of pace. She trailed happily behind the brunette as her mind wandered back to the night they'd danced together that ended with Lexa's hand on her ass in the middle of this very club. A fresh wave of heat surged through her body as Clarke imagined how it would feel to have Lexa's body against hers again, hips swaying to the beat of the music and hands exploring one another.

As soon as they reached the edge of the dance floor, Lexa turned around to face Clarke before slipping her arm around the blonde's waist and pulling them together. It felt even better than last time, and Clarke almost let a groan slip from her lips as their hips connected. She watched as Lexa licked her lips quickly before starting a gentle sway of her hips. Clarke quickly matched the rhythm before turning around and pressing her back flush with Lexa's front. She smirked as she felt gentle hands immediately latch low onto her hips and felt the brunette tug them closer together.

Clarke leaned even further back against Lexa, reveling in the feeling of the brunette's breasts pressing against her and the fingers at her hips slightly tighten their grip. They remained dancing in this position until a new song started with an even faster tempo, and Clarke turned herself back around to face Lexa again. Clarke noticed the brunette's breathing quicken slightly as green eyes began darting across her body. She felt restless hands moving up and down her sides, squeezing lightly in some areas before moving on to caress another area. Clarke was quickly becoming addicted to the feeling of Lexa's hands on her body, and she watched as Lexa's eyes flicked down to look at her lips as the continued to dance.

"I want to kiss you so badly," Lexa softly spoke against Clarke's ear.

"So kiss me," the blonde responded in a husky tone.

Clarke watched as Lexa's eyes drifted down again, and without skipping a beat the brunette leaned forward and captured her lips in a light kiss. Clarke sighed into the kiss as she felt Lexa's fingers tighten at the small of her back as their mouths remained pressed together for a short moment. The brunette suddenly angled her head back to break the kiss, and she was met with a look of confusion flashed across the Clarke's face momentarily as the blonde stared into darkened green eyes for an answer.

"Quick kisses," Lexa clarified, "or I wouldn't be able to stop."

"Maybe I don't want you to stop," Clarke replied.

"Clarke," Lexa warned while watching the blonde lock her gaze on her lips.

Their bodies moved together for another few minutes until Lexa felt the blonde intertwine their hands and tug them towards the back of the club. As soon as they rounded a corner into a darkened and empty hallway, the brunette found herself being gently pushed up against the wall before soft lips descended on hers in a passionate kiss. It was nothing like their previous ones they had shared over the last couple of weeks. It was urgent but teasing. It was gentle but forceful. It was everything they'd been feeling up until this point, represented in a kiss. Clarke heard herself moan into Lexa's mouth as the brunette parted her lips in an invitation for her to deepen the kiss.

Instead, Clarke placed a series of wet but teasing kisses on the brunette's full lips before slowing their momentum and pulling away altogether. Lexa looked into Clarke's eyes questioningly before she watched the blonde lean forward and felt teeth gently clamp around her bottom lip. Clarke pulled the supple lip forward as she slowly grazed her teeth over it, finally releasing it without a sound. Lexa's mouth hung open for just a moment before she lunged forward and crashed her lips against Clarke's in a hungry kiss that left the blonde struggling to breathe. As Lexa changed the angle of her lips to gain more access to Clarke's mouth, she felt the blonde's tongue finally meet her own.

Clarke moved into Lexa, her hands finding themselves clutching at the curve of the brunette's waist as she felt Lexa's hands tangle in her hair. They lost themselves in the feeling of the other, and their kiss only gained in its passion the longer their lips pushed and pulled against each other. Lexa's mind was clouded with an overwhelming feeling of pure lust, and she barely realized it when her hand moved from Clarke's hair, down her neck, and trailed down over the blondes chest. Her fingers danced over the soft skin at the swell of the blonde's full breast and barely brushed over the rough fabric of the bright red bra peeking out from under her shirt. Clarke immediately arched her back in an attempt to gain more contact with the brunette's wandering fingers but was met with a sudden gasp from the other woman as their kiss broke with a loud pop.

"Clarke wait," Lexa desperately croaked out through ragged breaths.

"What?" Clarke responded, just as breathlessly.

"Not here," Lexa finally answered, "not like this."

 _You deserve better._

Clarke felt her racing heart swell a she took in the meaning behind Lexa's words. The brunette was implying that wanted every moment that they shared to mean something, and that she cared too much about Clarke to allow themselves to get carried away in a dark hallway at the back of a club. Clarke wasn't going to lie when she thought about the fact that it felt so damn good feeling Lexa's fingers against her hot skin, but she also wanted more out of their intimate moments than this. It was the first time she'd ever really felt this way about someone, and that made her heart skip a few beats as she tried to catch her breath.

Clarke felt herself nod in agreement and stepped away from the brunette who was also trying to catch her breath as she slipped a hand through her hair. Clarke did the same and cleared her throat before taking Lexa's hand in hers and leading her back to their friends' table. They remained holding hands until they sat down, and Lexa purposefully inched her chair closer to Clarke's so that their legs were touching under the table. They shared a secretive smile at the contact and finally turned their attention to their friends.

"Where's Lincoln?" Raven asked Octavia as she downed the last of her beer. The group had apparently ordered a pitcher that they were all currently sharing while Clarke and Lexa had been off dancing and... other things.

"Working," was all the brunette offered.

"Oh my gosh, you guys!" Raven yelled as her eyes widened. "We should have a sleepover tonight!"

"Yeah, like a slumber party!" Anya agreed in excitement.

"Slumber party!" Octavia chimed in.

"How drunk _are_ they?" Lexa said quietly as she looked over at Clarke. It wasn't like Anya to agree to something so 'childish' as it may seem, so the two were quite puzzled at the sudden change of character.

"C'mon Claaarke!" Octavia slurred as she slouched her body over the table dramatically. "Don't you want to have a slumber party with these crazy bitches?"

"I... guess so?" Clarke replied hesitantly.

"Slumber party at Lexa's!" Octavia shouted as they all began gathering their things.

"Wait," Lexa quickly cut in, "why my apartment?"

"Why not?" Octavia responded as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you have food?" Raven interjected loudly, "like edible food that isn't vegetables?"

Clarke felt her heart flutter in her chest as Lexa looked over to her, almost as one would look to their spouse for their input before answering a question. She knew Lexa better than any one of their friends, and Lexa knew it too. When Clarke realized all eyes were now on her, she finally spoke up.

"We can order a pizza," she said as she gave Lexa's thigh a soft squeeze under the table.

The group seemed to accept the answer and hopped down from their chairs to exit the club.

"Okay, we're going to need some ground rules," Lexa began when all of the women had made it outside and were walking down the sidewalk towards the brunette's apartment. She was promptly met with a chorus of boo's and groans, but she continued anyways. "No practical jokes..."

"No hands in warm water?" Raven whined.

"No shaving cream and feathers?" Octavia also whined.

"No," Lexa firmly stated.

"Don't worry," Clarke assured the stressed out brunette as she clasped their hands together, "I'll keep them in line."

Lexa simply nodded and intertwined their fingers. Clarke smiled in response and squeezed the brunette's hand before looking ahead as they continued their walk. The three girls walking in front of them linked arms as they giggled and chatted for a while longer. They finally arrived at Lexa's apartment building but were stopped before they could step through the door to the lobby.

"No knocking on my neighbors' doors," Lexa stated as she pointed her finger at Raven before turning it towards Octavia, "and no jumping on my couch."

The girls agreed hastily, stating that it only happened once the night they had tried that new drinking game that they all swore never to play ever again. Lexa warily accepted their promises to be on their best behavior and lead them into the building and over to the elevator awhile mentally preparing herself for a long night.

* * *

As the girls stepped into the brunette's pristine apartment and began to make themselves comfortable, Lexa went to work getting some sleeping clothes together for all of her unexpected guests. She headed towards her bedroom and quickly shut the door to her office on the way. There were numerous confidential files for her clients in her office, and Lexa had such a complicated organizational system that she didn't want any of her tipsy friends to find themselves in there by accident ruining it. Just as she rounded the corner and stepped into her bedroom, she heard the soft padding of Clarke's feet walking up behind her.

"Can I help you with anything?" Clarke asked with a sweet smile as she saw Lexa head over to her closet.

"I figure everyone will need something to sleep in," Lexa responded as she returned a smile. "Feel free pick out what you want first."

Clarke nodded and started rummaging through Lexa's dresser drawers. When she opened the top drawer, Clarke's eyes grazed across a variety of lacy bras and matching panty sets and immediately her mind went to someplace entirely inappropriate for a few seconds before she quickly closed the drawer with a loud thud. Lexa looked over at Clarke and furrowed her brow, wondering what had just happened. When she saw the blonde sheepishly move onto the next drawer, she decided to let it go and not question her about it.

"Are these okay?" Clarke asked as she held out a pair of light gray shorts and a soft pink shirt.

"That's my favorite shirt to sleep in," Lexa responded with a light smile, "so you are more than welcome to wear it."

"Are you sure you don't want it tonight?" the blonde honestly asked, suddenly feeling bad for grabbing it.

"No, Clarke. You take it tonight," Lexa insisted. "I'm sure it will look better on you anyways."

"Doubtful," Clarke scoffed. "Have you seen you?"

"Uh, have you seen you?" Lexa asked, dumb-founded. "You're gorgeous... and your body... is..."

"My body is..." Clarke rasped as she closed the distance between the two of them. Lexa looked to be desperately trying to find words so that she could respond to the blonde but was having a terrible time thinking of any.

"I just... think that... you'll look really good in that shirt," Lexa finally managed to choke out.

"One way to find out," Clarke cooed as she began unbuttoning her shirt.

Lexa's eyes snapped to the tiny slivers of Clarke's bright red bra that had been peaking out from under the sheer shirt all night. As soon as all of the buttons had been released down the front of the blonde's shirt and a substantial amout of the bright red fabric became visible, Lexa quickly turned her back to Clarke in order to give the woman privacy. Clarke just smirked at the girl's quick move but couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to put on a show for the brunette.

Lexa distracted herself from thoughts of Clarke getting undressed in her bedroom as she rummaged for a couple more pairs of shorts and some comfortable shirts for Raven and Octavia before grabbing a set of her own clothes that she usually sleeps in. When Clarke was finally done dressing, she cleared her throat lightly as if giving Lexa the okay to turn around. When she did, her eyes fell to the pink shirt hugging the blonde's chest in the most perfect way and it took everything in her power to drag her gaze back up to sparkling blue eyes.

"I was right," Lexa simply answered with a small smile.

Clarke let a sly smile spread across her lips as she walked towards the door of the brunette's bedroom. As she walked past Lexa, she put a bit more sway into her hips than she normally would have and smiled a little larger when she saw green eyes travel down the length of her body as she passed. Lexa was finding it impossible to tear her eyes away from the vision in front of her, and she spent even more time looking at Clarke's retreating form, her gaze raking up pale and lean legs, around curved hips, over her perfect ass, and all the way up to the mane of blonde hair cascading down the girl's back.

After everyone had changed into more comfortable clothes and Clarke ordered them a pizza, they found themselves huddled in the kitchen as they chatted and picked out their beverages. Lexa had a little bit of everything in her fridge, thanks to Anya, and each of them found something to their liking. It wasn't too much after that when the pizza came, and Clarke quickly shoved a twenty dollar bill at the young man before anyone could object.

"You didn't have to do that," Lexa told the blonde as she set out plates for the group on the kitchen counter.

"Just think of it as a security deposit in case anything is damaged throughout the course of the night," Clarke joked and lightly touched Lexa on her arm. The brunette smiled and rolled her eyes in response, knowing it was a distinct possibility given the circumstances.

"You mean to tell me you didn't order Canadian bacon and pineapple?" Anya asked in horror as she surveyed the contents inside the pizza box after it was opened.

"Gross!" Octavia exclaimed at Anya as her face scrunched with disgust.

"I always thought fruit on a pizza was a little weird," Raven agreed with the brunette.

"I figured this way everyone can pick off what they don't want," Clarke shrugged as she reached for a slice of pizza with various toppings including meat and veggies.

"I'm too hungry to be picky," Anya stated as she dove into her first slice.

"You're too military to be picky," Lexa clarified as she reached for her own slice.

"True that," Octavia agreed with a single nod.

"So how long will you be gone this time?" Raven asked Anya, who was almost done with her first slice of pizza already.

"Tmft mgnnt," the blonde tried to say through a mouthful of food.

"Say what?" Octavia questioned with a quirked brow.

"Two months," Anya repeated herself after swallowing her mouthful. "Hopefully it won't be drawn out any longer this time, but you never know."

"Maybe you should put in for a transfer," Clarke offered. "You know, take a desk job or analyze intel or whatever."

"This bitch was born to be a soldier," Octavia quickly defended her friend. "Can't take the fight out of her if she doesn't want to let it go."

"I can't say I haven't thought about it," Anya admitted, "especially after Miller got shot."

It was only four weeks into their last mission that Anya's First Lieutenant (and close friend) was shot by an enemy sniper while their squad worked to secure a civilian town just outside the perimeter of their base's safe zone. The town was situated in a dangerous valley between two large mountainous ridges that would give any enemy the perfect advantage should they choose to attack. Anya remembers holding her hands to her Lieutenant's neck as the blood came gushing out in spurts matching the erratic rhythm of his heartbeat.

She is still haunted by the terrified look in his eyes as he watched his own blood drench the front of her fatigues. The sniper missed killing the Lieutenant instantly by just a few millimeters, and Anya had enough skill to keep him properly stabilized as she ordered her men into an action plan that would get all of them out of the town and back to the base alive. Unfortunately the wound to Miller's neck, although non-lethal, didn't come without complications, and it left the man in a position to need to learn how to walk again.

"Have you seen him lately?" Raven asked with peaked interest. She had felt a shared bond with the stranger ever since she heard about his injury from Anya.

"I was able to visit him a few months ago," Anya responded. "It was tough. The trauma of the injury really took a hold of him... he looked defeated... more defeated than I've ever seen him."

"I know that feeling," Raven mumbled as she shoved the last bite of her pizza into her mouth. "Hopefully he has a good support system to get him through. It's what saved my ass more times than I can count."

All of the women around Raven smiled at the girl, knowing that it was them she was talking about. They had given so much of their time and energy and love to the girl while she was going through the pain of dealing with the aftermath of the injury to her leg, and even though she went through periods of anger she had always come through it with the help of her friends. She appreciated each and every one of them more than they knew.

After the girls had finished off the pizza, they all headed to the living room to settle in for the night. Lexa found herself on the far end of her couch, and Clarke immediately moved to sit next to her. After a bit of awkward shifting, Clarke was sitting comfortably between Lexa's legs with her back resting against the brunette's chest. Lexa sighed in contentment when she felt Clarke start to lightly drag her fingers up and down her bare calf, stopping to lightly squeeze and massage some areas before moving on to the next. She found herself brushing Clarke's hair over her shoulder so that she could lightly tickle the soft skin on the back of her neck.

"Unfortunately his boyfriend recently broke up with him," Anya continued their conversation from the kitchen. "He couldn't handle his moodswings or some shit like that."

"Let him know that if he needs another friend to talk to... someone who understands... he can talk to me," Raven offered.

"I think he'd appreciate that, Rae," Anya said. "Thank you."

"I'm getting the surgery," Raven blurted out to a crowd of wide eyes and shocked faces.

"You are?" Clarke asked as she stopped the movement of her fingers against Lexa's skin.

"In three weeks," Raven clarified. "I made the appointment today."

"Wow," Octavia said as she turned herself towards her friend, "what made you decide to do it?"

"I'm just sick of this stupid thing," the brunette said as she gestured to the large brace on her leg. "The last time Abby talked to me about the surgery, I was just determined to prove to everyone and myself that I could live with it. I feel like I proved it, and now I'm ready to risk it."

"You are the strongest person I know," Clarke encouraged her friend. "You are going to kick this surgery's ass."

"Absolutely," Lexa chimed in from behind the blonde.

"Sorry Lex, but I'll probably be out of commission for your birthday hooplah," Raven said apologetically.

"Birthday hooplah?" Lexa questioned as she stilled her fingers against Clarke's neck when she felt the blonde tense momentarily.

"Shit," was all Raven said, "sorry, Clarke."

"It was supposed to be a _surprise_ birthday hooplah," Clarke said as she rolled her eyes at her friend who just spoiled the 'surprise' part of the plan.

"Clarke?" Lexa questioned the blonde for more details. Clarke turned her position slightly so that she could look back at the brunette's face.

"A few weeks ago I planned out something pretty awesome that didn't consist of brunch at Tony's," Clarke started, "but we can definitely change plans to make it work around Raven's surgery."

"Don't worry about it, Clarke..." Raven started to say.

"No way, Rae," Clarke interrupted her. "We will figure something out."

"I don't need anything special," Lexa explained with a small smile, "just my closest friends close to me on or around my birthday sounds perfect."

"Look at you two," Octavia suddenly switched the subject, "so adorable all cuddled up together."

Clarke and Lexa shared a blush across their cheeks. It wasn't like none of their friends knew they had gone out on an official date, but it was still a little embarrassing for the two of them though to have so much attention on them at this very moment. Clarke felt Lexa dip her head against her shoulder from behind and just chuckled softly.

The rest of the evening shaped up to be quite entertaining. There was teasing of Lexa and Clarke – that's what happens when two friends in a group start dating, right? And Octavia shared all of her thoughts so far about her wedding plans. It sounded like she and Lincoln both want to get married pretty soon, so all of the girls and other friends and families of the couple were put on alert. Throughout all of their conversations, there was an air of relaxation and familiarity around them, and it made for one of the most memorable evenings the women had ever shared thus far.


	10. Chapter 10

**** Chapter Notes: Raven's injury in my story, although not explicitly explained, is not the same as Raven's injury on the show. ****

"Ninety-nine... ninety-eight... ninety-seven... ninety..."

"Alright, let's get started."

The orthopedic surgeon immediately made a small incision high on his patient's thigh, and a flurry of activity broke out in the operating room as surgeons and technicians carried out their duties with precision and speed. The team had been preparing for the last three weeks for this day, and they all knew how much there was at stake. It was the first surgery of its kind, and the skilled group of surgeons working diligently on their patient would make history if the procedure was successful.

"Dr. Griffin, we're ready for the graft."

Abby was a cardiothoracic surgeon and didn't normally scrub in on surgeries like this, but she insisted on being a major presence in the operating room this particular afternoon and quite honestly wasn't met with much resistance. Surgeons would wait their entire careers for an opportunity to be a part of a ground-breaking surgery like this one was, but Abby was also closely connected to the patient. It was her own daughter's friend and someone who deserved only the best doctors on her case.

"Ready to graft, Dr. Ellis," Abby confirmed as she cradled the delicate bundle of nerves in her hands. She took a deep breath, stepped up to the table and began her procedure.

* * *

"Clarke?"

The blonde looked up from her desk that was covered with opened textbooks and research articles and sighed when her gaze caught emerald eyes staring back at her. She had been pouring herself into her research from the time she'd heard from Raven about her decision to move forward with the surgery to repair her leg. Originally Clarke thought she might even participate in the procedure but decided against it when she heard that her mother would be assisting the most respected orthopedic surgeon in the country perform a miracle on her friend.

"Hey," she answered weakly.

"What are you doing in here?" Lexa softly asked as her brow furrowed when she saw the fatigue in the Clarke's eyes.

"Just going over the mechanics of the procedure to make sure they don't miss anything," Clarke answered before lowering her head and thumbing through the thick textbook in front of her.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really," Clarke answered without looking up.

"Well, I am," Lexa said while moving further into the room, "so I was thinking we could go to the cafeteria together."

Clarke looked up to see a hopeful look flash across Lexa's face, and she immediately moved to close her textbook and stand up from her chair. After rounding her desk and stopping in front of the brunette, Clarke lifted her arms to drape around the taller girl's neck and leaned in to brush their lips together.

"You're right," Clarke said softly as she looked longingly into Lexa's eyes, "I've been spending more time with these books than with you lately, and you're so much more fun to kiss."

Lexa could only let out a short chuckle before her lips were being kissed again, and she was not complaining. They had managed a couple more dates in the three weeks since their first, but with Raven's upcoming surgery and the normal business of work they hadn't had much time to spend together... alone together. Clarke had spent countless hours outside of work going over her friend's surgery and referencing textbooks, medical journals, and research articles on anything even remotely related to the procedure. She had been able to simplify a couple of the steps in the complicated surgery for the talented team of doctors, but she was still worried that something would go wrong.

"I'm starving," Clarke stated as she abruptly ended the kiss. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled low and pushed the two girls into a fit of giggles.

"I figured you would be," Lexa replied as she separated herself from Clarke.

"We have the _best_ chicken noodle soup here," Clarke enthused as she brushed past the brunette and headed out the door of her office.

"I would expect so," Lexa simply answered as she found her stride next to the blonde.

"Why is that?" Clarke asked.

"We're in a hospital," Lexa replied with a smirk.

Clarke just rolled her eyes and let out a breathy laugh as they continued towards the elevator. The ride down consisted of a few fleeting kisses and stolen glances, and they stepped just a foot away from each other as the doors opened to reveal a familiar face looking back at them.

"Hey, Lincoln," Clarke greeted him with a smile.

"Hey," he responded with a smile of his own. "Is Octavia with you?"

"Nope, she's up in the waiting room. Fourth floor," Clarke answered as she and Lexa traded places with him.

"We'll be back up in like thirty minutes," the blonde told him before the elevator doors closed. He had just smiled in response, which was nothing out of the ordinary for the man of few words.

They both made their way into the same line and each ordered a bowl of soup before finding a small table in the far corner of the cafeteria. The big room was full of both doctors and visitors, some chatting happily and some eating in silence. Hostpitals were always mixed with emotions, but the overall tone was strictly business. So many lives hung in the balance within these walls, and everyone within them seemed to respect that.

"This is delicious," Lexa said as she scooped another spoonful into her mouth.

"I told you," Clarke answered, "best in the city."

Lexa ate quietly as she studied the girl sitting opposite of her for a few minutes. She looked immersed in her thoughts, like she was still sitting behind the stack of books back in her office.

"Tell me your thoughts," Lexa finally said.

"I'm just trying to think of what they're doing right now," Clarke admitted. She knew Raven was in good hands, but it was harder for the blonde to be absent from the proceedure than she thought it would be.

"I know you have a tendency to try and fix everything," Lexa began, "but you need to trust that your mom will make sure everything goes perfectly."

"I know," Clarke agreed as she continued to sip on her soup.

"You're her hands, you know," Lexa said softly. Clarke looked up at her in question before she continued. "You perfected the mechanics of the surgery with your research, and now your mom is in there right now applying them."

Clarke looked deeply into the sincere green eyes and felt her heart melt a little bit before offering a smile in response. Lexa always knew the right thing to say because she knew Clarke more than anyone else on the planet. It was another reason why their transition from friends to more than friends had been so easy, even though their progress in the more than friends category had been unraveling quite slowly as of late.

"So, your birthday is coming up," Clarke broke the silence after a few moments, "and since my plans for your party changed, I was thinking that maybe you would want to have a special birthday date with me this year."

"Yes please," Lexa quickly responded with a smile as wide as her face would allow.

"Okay," Clarke grinned as a faint blush swept over her cheeks.

The two ate in comfortable silence for another ten minutes before they stood to clean up their trays and make their way back up to the waiting room. It was probably another two hours until they would receive any update on the progress of Raven's surgery, but they promised their friend that they would all be waiting for her during the entire proceedure and be there when she woke up. They walked up to the engaged couple speaking softly to each other as they shared a small couch in the far corner of the waiting room.

"Hey, any news?" Lexa asked as she sat down in a chair opposite the couch her friends were occupying.

"Nothing yet," Lincoln answered.

"Where were you two?" Octavia pried. "Having dirty sex in an on-call room?"

"Octavia!" Clarke squealed entirely too loudly for a hospital waiting room.

Lexa just blushed and averted her eyes, and Lincoln just sat in silence as he looked over at his fiancée.

"What? Like that's not what happens in those rooms on a daily basis," Octavia responded with a quirked eyebrow.

"We were in the cafeteria having soup," Clarke clarified.

"Mmhmm," Octavia mumbled in response, clearly not believing the blonde's explanation.

"They were," Lincoln spoke up, "I saw them on my way up here."

"Thank you, Lincoln," Clarke said as she nodded towards him.

"Hey! Who's side are you on?" Octavia argued as she slugged her fiancé in the arm. He flinched and brought his hand up to rub where she hit before looking back to Clarke and rolling his eyes discreetly.

"Whatever," Octavia grumbled, "it's only a matter of time."

Lexa's cheeks instantly flushed when she caught sparkling blue eyes looking back at her. Of course the thought of being intimate with Clarke had been in her mind for a long time, even more so now that they had been on a few actual dates and had a few actual kisses, but sthe last thing she wanted to do was lose herself in inappropriate thoughts in front of her friends. She heard Clarke weakly clear her throat before she took a seat in the chair beside her.

The next hour passed by relatively quickly. Octavia was flipping through wedding magazines and chatting with Lincoln about their big day, while Lexa read a book and Clarke played on her phone. The surgery was probably still a few hours from being completed, but they had been expecting Abby to bring them an update any minute. The four friends immediately focused their attention on the blonde's mother when they noticed her walking through the waiting room towards them with her surgical mask in her hands.

"She did great," Abby informed them all with a genuine smile.

"You're done?" Clarke asked in shock.

"You have no idea how much time your research saved us, honey," the older woman said as she gently touched Clarke's shoulder. "In fact, it went so well that she might only need one more surgery until she has full use of her leg again."

"That's amazing," Lexa chimed in as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Clarke lunged towards her mother and wrapped her up in a strong hug. She furiously blinked away the tears that were springing up in her eyes as she felt Abby's arms encircle her waist. The older woman heard 'thank you' whispered into her ear a few times before they finally parted. Lexa was the next to hug Abby, followed by their other two friends.

"Thank you, Abby," Octavia told Abby as they stared into each other's eyes for a moment.

"You've done an amazing thing," Lincoln directed at the older woman before turning to Clarke and adding, "you both have."

"When can we see her?" Lexa asked. She suddenly couldn't wait to see her friend, wanting to validate with her own eyes that she was okay and safe and awake.

"Not for a couple of hours," Abby replied. "She was under a pretty heavy cycle of anesthesia for a long time, so she'll be sleeping it off for a while. If you guys want to head home, I can call you..."

"No," Octavia interjected, "we'll stay."

"We told her we would be there when she woke up," Clarke offered to her mother.

"Alright... why don't you all hang out here for a while, and I'll let you slip into her room before she wakes up," Abby told the group. They all nodded in agreement, and Abby gave her daughter's arm another small squeeze before she turned around and left.

* * *

"She hates this show!" Clarke exclaimed in a hushed tone as she gestured towards the small flat-screen television in Raven's hospital room.

"She isn't awake yet," Octavia whispered back, "chill, Griffin."

Lexa rolled her eyes at her bickering friends before turning back her attention to Raven, who still hadn't woken up from her surgery. The brunette had taken up residence by her friend's bedside and was watching her sleep for the last few minutes. Raven was by far the most outgoing in the group, so it was strange to see her so quiet and peaceful for a change. A low chuckle from Octavia as she watched her show turned Lexa's attention away from the sleeping girl, and she glanced up to see Clarke moving a chair near hers. The two women shared a smile before they both turned their attention to the TV screen.

The hospital had arranged for Raven to recover in a private room, and the group had made sure to have extra chairs brought in so they could all sit comfortably and wait for their friend to wake up. Everyone had chipped in on a large bouquet of sunflowers that Lexa had picked up at the flower market on her way to the hospital that morning, and it was Octavia's idea to buy Raven a stuffed bunny with a 'Get Well Soon' balloon tied around its paw because she knew the brunette would say it was lame but would secretly like it.

"I hate this show," a small voice broke the silence. Lexa immediately shifted in her seat to lean in closer to Raven and gently placed her hand on the girl's forearm. She flicked her eyes over to Lexa and smiled weakly.

"Hey," Lexa said as she returned her friend's smile.

"Hey," Raven answered back.

Octavia pulled her feet down from where they had been propped up on another chair and quickly stood to approach the hospital bed after flipping off the television. Clarke and Lincoln stayed put but instantly gave Raven their undivided attention.

"How do you feel?" Octavia asked as she pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"Fine right now," Raven answered as she gestured to the I.V. bag beside her, "thanks to that."

She could tell she was on a steady flow of pain medication by the way her brain felt like it was floating around in her head. It wasn't her favorite feeling in the world, but she did appreciate that her leg didn't hurt for once. As Raven looked around the room at her friends, she noticed the large vase of flowers and the bunny beside it and rolled her eyes.

"You guys are so cheesy and stupid," Raven said while shaking her head slowly.

"But you love us," Clarke told her with a smile.

"I do," Raven agreed. "Thanks for being here when I woke up."

"We wouldn't have had it any other way," Lexa responded with a thoughtful smile and a squeeze to the brunette's arm.

"Welcome back, Raven," Abby chirped with a bright smile as she stepped into the room. She noticed Clarke was checking the girl's vitals, so she rounded the opposite side of the bed to stand beside Octavia. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Raven answered again. "Did it work?"

"It went extremely well," Abby replied with another smile. "We'll have to run some tests later tonight, but I'm thinking you might only need one more surgery before you have full use of your leg again."

Raven let out a sigh of relief as she let her head fall back onto the pillow and smiled up at the ceiling.

"Thank you, Abby," Raven said as she turned her head slightly towards the grinning surgeon.

"It was my pleasure," Abby responded quietly. "Kick these guys out if you need to rest."

"Will do," Raven replied as she closed her eyes.

"Abby, can I talk to you for a minute?" Octavia asked softly as she followed her towards the door. Abby nodded and Lincoln went to join them out in the hallway.

"What was that about?" Lexa asked a confused-looking Clarke.

"I have no idea," Clarke answered before looking over at Raven.

"Don't ask me," Raven said, "I was just unconscious for the last eight hours."

"More like ten," Lexa clarified as she sat back in her chair.

"No wonder why I'm so starving," she rasped as she tried to push herself up in her bed.

"Sorry, no food for a little while yet," Clarke said as she stood, "but I can get you some ice chips or something."

"Ugh," Raven answered in disgust, "how about juice?"

"Yeah, juice should be fine," Clarke answered as she leaned over to peek at Raven's monitors again.

"I'll get you some," Lexa offered as she stood from her chair and walked towards the door. "What kind would you like?"

"Surprise me," Raven said with a shrug of her shoulders. Lexa smiled lightly and turned to exit the room. "So give it to me straight, Griffin. How terrible is my recovery going to be?"

"Pretty terrible," Clarke answered honestly. She knew Raven was strong, and she knew she'd want to hear the truth. "But I have no doubt in my mind that you're going to kick physical therapy's ass."

"I better," Raven replied, "because I want to be able to actually kick ass when I'm done."

"As long as it's not mine," Clarke said as she let out a laugh before Octavia and Lincoln walked back into the room with smiles on their faces.

"What's got you two all smiley?" Clarke asked with an inquisitive brow.

"Well," Octavia started, "Lincoln and I are getting married in two months at your mom's house."

"Are you serious?" Clarke asked as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yep!"

"I'm so happy for you guys!" Clarke exclaimed as she brought Octavia in for a hug, "But... why my mom's house?"

"Because your mom has a fucking sweet house," Octavia responded very matter-of-factly.

"You're right on that one," Clarke agreed. "And in two months! That's so soon!"

"I know, but... we're ready, you know?" Octavia explained as she sat down on Raven's bed. "We just want to get on with it."

Clarke looked over to Lincoln who nodded his head in agreement, and she smiled widely before walking over and giving him a hug too. Lexa walked back in the room with a bottle of juice and opened it before handing it to Raven. They all chatted about the big news, and Octavia shared her plans for the simple wedding of her dreams until Raven started to nod off. They all decided to call it a day but not before leaving Raven a note on her bedside table letting her know they would be back to visit her tomorrow.

"Clarke," Lexa started as she and the blonde walked out the front doors of the hospital, "do you have any plans tonight?"

"Not a one," Clarke responded with a smile.

"Would you like to... watch a movie together?" Lexa asked somewhat shyly.

"I'd love to," Clarke answered as she slipped their hands together and started off towards her apartment.

* * *

They had just started their second movie when Lexa shifted herself on the couch to cuddle closely with Clarke. They laid together, stretched across the length of the couch, for about fifteen minutes before Clarke turned herself around to face her friend. Without a word, she leaned forward and pressed their lips lightly together, and Lexa's hand immediately slipped around to the small of Clarke's back. Their mouths danced gently against one another until Clarke pulled back with a smile on her face.

"What?" Lexa asked as her eyes trained in on the beautiful smile in front of her.

"I love being with you like this," Clarke replied softly as she traced her fingers along the brunette's jawline.

"Me too," Lexa whispered as she gazed into sparkling blue eyes. "It feels better than I ever thought it could."

"So, how long had you been thinking about this before it actually happened?"

"A while," Lexa quietly confessed.

"How come didn't you tell me?" Clarke asked. "Sooner, I mean."

"We're best friends," Lexa started, "and sometimes relationships between best friends work, but sometimes it ruins the friendship if it doesn't."

"And you were worried that if it didn't work out, we might not be friends?"

Lexa just nodded.

"And what do you think now?" Clarke asked. Lexa paused for a moment and searched the eyes in front of her before speaking.

"I think it's amazing," Lexa finally answered. "I think you're amazing."

Clarke felt her heart slam into her chest at the sincere words, and she was left speechless from the look of pure adoration pouring out of the green eyes looking back at her. She quickly closed the distance between them by snaking her left hand into Lexa's hair behind her ear and pulling their lips together. It turned heated almost instantaneously, and Clarke let her hands fall to Lexa's hips, tugging them lightly so that the brunette could lay on top of her.

Their legs tangled at their ankles, and Lexa's right hand found its way up to cradle Clarke's cheek as they sank into a deep kiss. Their tongues slid against one another, searching, mapping, tasting. Breaths turned into pants the longer their mouths teased each other, and their need to feel even closer became unbearable. Lexa's heart raced with anticipation as she felt Clarke's hands move from her hips and her fingertips slide underneath her shirt to graze the hot skin at the base of her spine.

Lexa slipped her hand through blonde hair as she cupped the back of Clarke's neck, desperate to taste more, feel more of the soft lips moving under hers. She felt as her shirt gently scraped against her sides while Clarke's hands wandered further up the expanse of her back, making deliberate moves to touch every inch of exposed skin as she went. Lexa's head started spinning as her hand made its way out of the Clarke's hair and down her neck past her collarbones until she was just inches away from where the brunette had only dreamed of where her hands would once be.

Without hesitation Lexa slowly pulled her hand down and over the generous swell of Clarke's left breast, feeling it graze beneath her palm and lightly squeezed the base of the mound before bringing her hand to rest at the top the blonde's rib cage. Clarke let out a breathy moan and immediately arched her back, aching to feel Lexa's hand on her breast again. Her lips chased the plump ones hovering above her and they continued to kiss deeply, desperately, before the vibrating of Lexa's phone against the top of the coffee table broke them out of their moment.

Clarke let out a loud sigh as she broke their kiss and dropped her head back down onto the couch. Lexa cursed under her breath before shooting Clarke an apologetic look and reaching for her phone. They both knew Anya was planning on calling that night to check up on Raven, so Lexa lifted herself off of Clarke and situated herself in a sitting position on the couch before swiping her screen and answering the call.

"Hey, Anya," Lexa greeted in a breathy tone.

Clarke smiled at the sound of Lexa's voice and found herself instantly attracted to how flustered she was. Leaning up carefully, Clarke wordlessly wrapped her left arm around Lexa's waist and pulled the long brunette locks over Lexa's shoulder. She lowered her lips to soft skin and proceeded in placing gentle but teasing kisses up and down the back of her neck. Clarke felt herself smile against Lexa's skin as she heard the brunette struggling to breathe. Feeling emboldened by the small sounds she was eliciting from the other girl, Clarke trailed her lips up the side of Lexa's neck before lightly grazing her teeth along her earlobe. As she pulled away, saw Lexa's jaw hanging open for a brief moment before it snapped shut and green eyes were piercing through her own.

"Huh? Oh yeah, it was great... I mean, it went really well..." Lexa stammered as she watched Clarke swing her leg over her lap to straddle her on the couch. Her free hand curled itself into a fist as she tried desperately to control herself while Clarke lightly pushed her further into the back of the couch. The first touch of soft lips on her neck below her jaw was enough to send her free hand flying up to grip the side of Clarke's hip.

"I uh..." Lexa trailed off as she felt Clarke's lips move further down the front of her neck, "uh..."

"The... Abby said... she might only need... one more... surgery..." Lexa pieced together through her panting breaths as Clarke continued her gentle assault on the brunette's neck.

" _What's going on?_ " Clarke heard Anya ask.

"What? Oh, nothing..." Lexa lamely answered. "I'm just... hanging out with Clarke..."

" _And you can't stop fucking for two minutes to give me an update on Raven? You are one horny bitch._ "

And with that, Lexa threw Clarke off her lap and quickly stood up to distance herself from the teasing girl. Clarke just giggled before righting herself on the couch again and folding her hands innocently in her lap while Lexa continued her conversation.

"No, Anya," the brunette back-tracked, "that's not what is going on."

Lexa shot Clarke a look as she pulled her fingers through her hair, and Clarke just smirked back. She knew exactly what she had been doing to Lexa to drive her crazy just a moment ago, and she had loved every second of it. Her heart danced in her chest while she listened to Lexa finish her conversation, anticipating a lively discussion with her best friend after she hung up the phone. And that she did.

"Clarke," Lexa snapped as soon as she ended the call, "what the hell was that?"

"What the hell was what?"

"Couldn't you have waited until I was off the phone at least?" Lexa huffed.

"That wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining," Clarke responded with a twinkle in her eye. She moved up to step in front of Lexa before lowering her voice and adding, "plus it was a little preview for just how talented my mouth can be."

The Lexa's throat immediately lost all of its moisture as her eyes widened and darkened at the same time. She looked over at Clarke who was biting the inside of her bottom lip, waiting for her to say something. Anything. It took two tries for Lexa to swallow, and she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from watching Clarke gently pulling on her own lip. When Lexa didn't offer any response, Clarke finally spoke up.

"I do believe I won that round of flirting, Woods."

Lexa again offered no response except a slight narrowing of her eyes. In reality she was just trying to keep herself from pouncing on the blonde after what she'd said had sent a wave of heat directly to her core, and the sensations she was currently feeling shooting through her body weren't altogether unwelcome. Instead she simply licked her lips and nodded, conceding yet again to the blonde.

* * *

"Hey, chica!" Clarke exclaimed as she walked into Raven's hospital room. "It's day seven! Woop, woop!"

All the brunette managed for a response was a groan as she lifted herself into a sitting position on her bed. Raven had recovered from her invasive surgery extremely well, and she was cleared to start physical therapy a day early. Clarke had volunteered to help on her off-hours, knowing that her friend would appreciate the support of someone she knew during the first painful weeks.

"Ready to get at it?" the cheerful blonde asked through a wide smile.

"If I'm not, what happens?"

"I make you do your therapy anyway," Clarke answered.

"Thought so," Raven quipped.

She swung her legs gingerly over the edge of the bed and allowed Clarke to help her into a wheelchair that had been pushed up next to her. Even though it had only been a week, Raven felt so much better now that she'd been able to take a shower (with the help of a rather burly female nurse) and change into a pair of her own loose-fitting sweatpants and tank top. They were so much better than hospital gowns, though she had enjoyed seeing a few fly open during the hospital tours her friends had been wheeling her around on whenever they came to visit.

Clarke made a double-take when she laid eyes on a new face as pushed Raven through the doors to the physical therapy wing. She hadn't expected to see a new physical therapist at the hospital, especially one who would be working with Raven, but Clarke continued on her way towards the man until he was only a few feet away.

"Hi," he offered his hand to Clarke, "I'm Marcus Kane."

"I'm Dr. Griffin, and this is Raven," Clarke answered before shaking his hand. They were soft, but did he ever have a grip.

"Oh, you must be Clarke then," Marcus responded with a smile.

"So my reputation proceeds me around here?" Clarke asked as she cringed.

"Yes, but not in a bad way," the man assured her. "I just met Dr. Abby Griffin earlier today, and she told me that her daughter works here, whom I assume is you..."

"Ah, yep. That's me," Clarke replied.

"Nice to meet you, Raven," Marcus told the brunette as he extended his hand out to her with a smile.

"I don't know if I should be so nice to the guy who's about to torture me for the next couple of months," Raven joked sarcastically as she shook his hand.

"Trust me," Marcus told her, "I want to make this as painless as possible for you."

"Yeah, we both know it's hospital policy to say that to me," Raven teased again.

"Well, I can see your sense of humor is still intact," Marcus said through a chuckle. "That always makes this process easier. Hold onto that."

"Oh, Raven and her sarcasm are attached at the hip," Clarke chimed in. "She couldn't lose it even if she tried."

Clarke wheeled Raven behind Marcus' retreating form, and they all found themselves in a large exam room. With a little help from both medical professionals, Raven situated herself on the small bed before Marcus readied several slings attached to a metal arm that looked like it would be supporting the weight of her leg as it was held suspended in the air. After he had adjusted all of the equipment needed for this therapy session, he repositioned Raven's leg and began.

"So the first few days we're going to be loosening up the muscles and tendons in your leg as well as increasing the rotational mobility of your hip," Marcus explained. "After any traumatic surgery, the body's natural response is to heal itself as quickly as possible. Unfortunately because you needed to stay immobile for the healing to really kick-start over the last week, your leg is probably feeling pretty stiff. Now I will warn you that you'll probably be sore after today's therapy session, but I can't stress enough how much better and healthier you'll start to feel each day after."

"I'll take your word for it," Raven responded dryly before lying back and preparing herself for what was going to happen next.

She felt strong hands gently grip her calf and begin to massage the muscle before moving down to her foot, which he rotated slowly. Raven felt a few pangs of pain shoot through her leg immediately, but she was determined not to let her first day in physical therapy get the best of her. She sighed and closed her eyes as Marcus' hands went to either side of her knee and gripped firmly and started to loosen up the muscles there. As soon as his thumbs pressed over a spot just above the left side of her knee, her eyes shot open.

"Holy shit, Clarke!"

"What?" Clarke exclaimed, afraid that Raven was in pain. "What's wrong?"

"I can feel that!" Raven nearly yelled. "I can fucking feel that!"

"What – feel what?" Clarke questioned.

"The part of my leg that was numb before," Raven explained, "I can feel it!"

Clarke's face broke into a smile as she looked down at her overjoyed friend, who was staring down at her leg and poking it dramatically. It was normal for numbness to linger for a while after surgery, so Clarke knew how excited Raven must be to suddenly be able to feel in that area that had been unfeeling for so long. Marcus pushed the brunette's finger away as he continued his task but gave Raven a small smile in return.

"Now it hurts, but I can feel it," Raven said through a huge smile.

"Yeah, because you were poking it like an idiot," Clarke reprimanded her friend.

"Your face is an idiot," Raven immediately responded.

"Oh, shut up," Clarke shot back.

Marcus continued to work without looking up at the two, but the smile on his face gave away the fact that the girls' humorous exchange was not lost on him. Clarke really liked this new guy and hoped Raven felt the same way. She knew from professional experience how much easier her sessions would be if she connected well with her physical therapist.

"How do you feel?" Marcus asked as he moved up further the brunette's leg.

"I feel like shit... but thanks for asking," Raven quipped.

Yep, she definitely liked him too.


	11. Chapter 11

**** Chapter Warnings: An extended scene where Raven is in pain. Nothing explicit. ****

Clarke had just finished scrubbing out of a refreshingly simple three hour surgery when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket as she walked down the last long hallway before reaching the staff lounge. She unlocked her phone with a quick swipe of her thumb across the screen and pushed herself through the door to see the large room surprisingly empty. A smile broke out on Clarke's face as she noticed a new text message from Lexa and quickly navigated to her messages to read whatever it was she had written.

 **Lexa: I miss you.**

It was something both women had said to one another numerous times in the past, but now that their friendship was evolving into something more, the simple statement sent butterflies fluttering around Clarke's stomach as she read it. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a short moment as she plopped herself onto a couch and decided how to reply. She thought of a few sarcastic comments off the top of her head that she could have responded with, but Lexa's words seemed more sincere than those that were looking to evoke a witty comeback.

 **Clarke: I miss you too.**

 **Lexa: When can I see you next?**

The feeling of disappointment immediately washed over the blonde as she thought about her busy day of surgeries followed by Raven's physical therapy session in the evening, knowing that she probably wouldn't make it out of the hospital at a reasonable hour. Clarke knew that Lexa started her work days early, which also meant that during the week she was often in bed quite early.

 **Clarke: I'm busy with surgeries until late and PT with Raven even later.**

 **Clarke: Maybe I could stop by your office for lunch?**

Clarke pushed herself back into the couch and closed her eyes. Thoughts of Lexa danced around her head as she relaxed in this quiet moment of peace. She knew it wouldn't be long until she was back in the operating room again, so every minute she could steal away to relax was a minute well spent. Just as her thoughts about a special brunette began to wander into more 'heated' territories, a pulse of vibrations from her phone tickled her thigh through her navy blue scrubs.

 **Lexa: I'd love that. I'm on a conference call now but should be off in about 45 minutes.**

 **Clarke: Texting during a conference call? Who are you, and what have you done with Lexa?**

 **Lexa: A certain stunning blonde I know is becoming a bad influence on me, I guess.**

 **Clarke: Hmm, she sounds like my kind of girl.**

 **Lexa: Mine too.**

As hard as she tried, Clarke couldn't help the goofy grin from spreading across her face as she read those two words over and over and over again. The fact that their conversation had instantly gone from teasing to flirting left the blonde feeling quite giddy and growing more excited to see her friend with each passing second.

 **Clarke: I might just have to fight you for her.**

 **Lexa: Fine with me. Either way I'll come out the winner.**

Clarke giggled to herself and bit her bottom lip as she read over Lexa's last message before her head shot up in surprise at the sound of someone's voice in the room.

"I'd like to meet whoever that is," Abby said through her own grin as she tipped her head towards the phone in her daughter's hands.

"Mom!" Clarke exclaimed as her heart jumped in her chest. "Jeez, you scared the shit out of me!"

"I can see that," Abby responded with a low chuckle. "So who has my daughter giggling like a little girl with a crush?"

Clarke let out a pointed huff before pushing herself off the couch and walking over towards the refrigerator. "And what makes you think I have a crush?"

"Clarke, you're my daughter," the older woman replied slowly, "and I know your crush face."

"My crush face?" Clarke retorted with a skeptical expression on her face. "I don't have a crush face."

"The giggle and the lip bite? Crush face," Abby plainly stated.

"Well, you're wrong," Clarke balked. "And whoever even said I was talking to someone? Maybe I was reading a funny article online."

"Fine," Abby finally said in surrender, sensing that she wasn't about to get any forthcoming information from her daughter. "I'll stop being a nosy Mom."

Clarke sighed and looked over at her mother who was pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"I like that you're nosy," she hesitantly told her mother, "it means you care."

Abby turned to her daughter and smiled before reaching over to give Clarke a hug and kiss her temple.

"But don't push it," Clarke warned as her smile faded.

"So how is Raven's therapy going?" Abby asked as she sat down on a comfortable chair opposite the couch where Clarke had just been sitting a moment earlier.

"It's day eight," Clarke stated, knowing that her mother would realize that this is when the physical therapist would start the patient on slightly more rigorous exercises. "She did really well last week... I think she's just nervous, and you know how well Raven handles nervousness."

"I'm sure it helps her a lot to have you there," Abby said, recognizing Clarke's generosity in offering to support her friend through her recovery. "She appreciates you even if she doesn't do a very good job of telling you that."

"I know," Clarke responds. She sipped on the bottle of iced tea that had her name inked across the label before speaking again. "So you met the new physical therapist? Marcus?"

"Mmhmm," was all Abby said as she discretely lowered her head behind her coffee cup to take a sip.

Clarke's eyebrows twitched together for a second as she tried to read her mother's quiet reaction.

"I was surprised when I brought Raven up there last week," Clarke continued. "I had no idea we were looking to hire someone new."

"Me either," Abby confessed. "Apparently the Chief had been after him for quite a while. He lost his wife last year and decided that moving back to his hometown would be a fresh start for him."

"You seem to know a lot about someone who's only been here for eight days," Clarke said as her eyebrows went from fully arched down to a playful furrow by the time she had finished her sentence.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Abby denied as her eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened while she took another long sip of her coffee.

"Aha!" Clarke exclaimed as she pointed an accusatory finger at her mother. "Crush face!"

"Clarke," Abby sternly warned, "I can assure you that I do not have a crush face."

"Whatever you say, Mom," Clarke responded with a chuckle.

"So, what are your lunch plans?" Abby asked, implying she wouldn't mind her daughter's company in the hospital cafeteria.

Clarke unconsciously bit the inside of her lower lip as she tried to suppress a smile before answering.

"Actually, I'm having lunch with Lexa today."

"That sounds nice," was all Abby offered she carefully studied her daughter's every move.

"Which reminds me," Clarke said while looking up at the clock hanging on the wall of the lounge, "I should probably get going."

"Alright," Abby said as she continued to eye her daughter. "Say hi to Lexa for me."

"Okay," Clarke responded with a smile and quickly turned on her heels to leave.

* * *

The walk from the hospital to Lexa's office wasn't exactly short, but it was such a beautiful day outside that Clarke opted against driving. She was the only one of her friends who actually had their own vehicle since everything in the city was so accessible by foot. The car she owned wasn't much to look at these days, but it was a graduation gift of sorts from her parents when she finally got the news that she had been accepted into Columbia University's medical program.

Her dad had taken her out to car lot after car lot, dealing expertly with pushy salesmen who wouldn't so much as give the blonde the time of day let alone speak to her with any meaningful regard. At a small second-hand dealership on the outskirts of the city at which the manager seemed to address them as equals throughout the entire process is where Clarke had laid eyes on a shiny black jeep that seemed to be calling out to her in the midst of a sea of sedans and minivans. They bought it on the spot, and Clarke remembered how thrilling it felt driving home with the canvas top down and the wind whipping through their hair.

Clarke stepped into the small sandwich shop just a few blocks away from Lexa's office building and quickly rattled off her order, knowing exactly what the brunette would want. Their group of friends had eaten lunch here more times than she could count, and after the years Clarke had memorized everyone's favorite sandwich and drink combos. She paid for the food with her credit card quickly before taking a hold of the white paper bag and heading off toward her destination.

"Hi, I'm here to see Lexa," Clarke greeted the young man who sat at a large desk outside of his boss's office. "You must be Aden."

"Yes," Aden answered as he stood from his desk and held out his hand to Clarke.

"I'm Clarke," she introduced herself with a smile.

"Clarke," Aden repeated as a look of recognition flashed across his face. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"You as well," Clarke responded. "Lexa speaks very highly of you."

The young man smiled and shifted on his feet as if he was embarrassed or shy... or a little bit of both. Now Clarke knew what Lexa had meant when she described him as being naive. Although he did have an innocent look about him, his perfectly fitted gingham patterned dress shirt and stylish thin necktie made him look professional and quite conscientious about his appearance. The combination of his strawberry blonde hair and spattering of freckles along his cheeks made Clarke think that he was probably an absolute heartbreaker with the girls.

"Clarke, I see you've met Aden," Lexa spoke as she appeared in the doorway of her office.

"Yes, although I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't think to bring him any lunch," Clarke said as she lifted the bag of food slightly.

"Oh, I bring my own lunch," Aden responded as he gestured towards the mini refrigerator tucked beneath a granite counter top in the kitchenette on the other side of the room.

"Next time," Clarke affectionately responded as she started towards Lexa.

"Okay," Aden replied as he sat back down and started in on his work.

Clarke stepped through the doorway and heard the door shut behind her with a soft click.

"He is _adorable_ ," the blonde gushed which earned her a laugh from the brunette. "You never told me how cute he was."

"Should I be jealous?" Lexa asked as she discretely cocked an eyebrow.

"What? No!" Clarke responded in surprise. "He's like twelve."

"He's eighteen," Lexa clarified as she rounded her desk to sit back in her chair while Clarke settled into one of the padded chairs opposite her. "So, should I be worried?"

"Not even a little bit," Clarke warmly responded as she locked eyes with Lexa.

She began pulling items out of the bag and setting them on either sides of the large desk. When it appeared as though everything had been taken out of the bag, Lexa let a small frown form on her lips as she looked down at her sandwich and bottle of tea. Clarke studied the girl's pouty lips for a moment before reaching back into the paper bag and pulling out a pickle to place alongside the brunette's sandwich.

"Calm down," Clarke teased, "here's your pickle."

Lexa's frown immediately flipped into a wide smile as she reached for it and began to unwind it from the clear plastic it was wrapped in. Clarke just chuckled as she uncapped her own bottle of tea and started to unwrap her sandwich. Just as she was about to take her first bite, Lexa interjected.

"Wait!" was all she said before getting up and walking over to Clarke's side of the desk. She reached for the blonde's hand and pulled her into a standing position before gently brushing their lips together.

"Mmmm," Clarke hummed as she smiled into the gentle kiss, "what's this for?"

"I can't kiss you with pickle breath," Lexa honestly responded before attempting to lower her lips onto Clarke's again.

"What?" Clarke asked in a high voice as she chuckled at the brunette's last statement. Lexa reluctantly pulled her face away from Clarke's before speaking again.

"Clarke," Lexa almost whined which elicited another small giggle from the blonde.

"Lexa," Clarke retorted with an amused smile as she hovered her lips just millimeters away from the brunette's. She raised her eyebrows and waited for an explanation.

"What?" Lexa weakly defended herself and pushed her bottom lip out ever so slightly, and Clarke thought it was just about the cutest thing she had ever seen.

Before the words even registered in her head, Clarke said them. She was trying to say how cute she thought Lexa was being about her concern over kissing her with pickle breath and nothing more. But before she could stop herself, she heard herself speaking.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Lexa instantaneously responded with a soft smile.

Clarke's breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered in her chest as she desperately tried to backtrack and explain her train of thoughts.

"I didn't – I didn't mean it... like that..." she stuttered.

"Yeah, I know... me too..." Lexa quickly responded at almost the same time.

If the brunette _had_ meant it as a declaration of love, she sure wasn't letting her face give herself away. Lexa's expression remained soft and unchanged from they way it had appeared just seconds before Clarke's verbal slip, and she leaned in for another kiss from the blonde. Clarke felt herself melting against the plump lips currently playing with her own and momentarily forgot about their lunch sitting on Lexa's desk. She could spend hours kissing this girl only for it to feel like seconds, and little did she know that Lexa felt the exact same way. They separated a few moments later and shared a smile before Lexa walked back around her desk to start in on her lunch.

"So I was thinking that we could all get together sometime this week at the hospital to celebrate your birthday," Clarke said before popping the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth.

"Sounds good to me," Lexa said between sips of iced tea.

"Raven said she'd take extra pain killers that day so that she wouldn't be cranky," Clarke said with a chuckle.

"She doesn't have to do that," Lexa responded with the wave of her hand. "She's always cranky... we're used to it."

That earned a hearty laugh from the blonde as she lifted her bottle of iced tea up to her lips to take a long drink. They loved their feisty friend to pieces, but the girl definitely had a grumpy side that would rear its ugly head from time to time.

"Which day is best for you?" Clarke asked.

"Any day after four this week works for me," Lexa responded quickly.

"Okay," Clarke started, "let's tenatively say Thursday then. I'll talk to Raven and Octavia and see if that works for them too."

"So if I remember correctly, you promised me birthday date," Lexa softly reminded her.

"Yes, I did," Clarke answered with a smile. Lexa raised her eyebrows in a silent request for more information about this mysterious birthday date, but Clarke wasn't offering anything.

"So..." Lexa urged when it was apparent that the blonde wasn't going to respond.

"So?" Clarke echoed as she feigned confusion.

"You're not going to tell me what we're doing?" Lexa asked.

"Nope," Clarke quickly responded, earning a huff from the brunette.

"Can you at least tell me how I should dress?"

Clarke thought for a moment before responding, "Casual."

"Casual," Lexa repeated, "that's all I get?"

"Yep," Clarke responded with a smile.

The brunette rolled her eyes and started cleaning up the trash from her lunch as Clarke did the same. They had spent the last hour eating and chatting, but both of them had responsibilities to get back to at work. Clarke stood from her chair and smoothed out her scrubs before making her way to the office door to follow Lexa out.

"Aden, have you received the final head count for the banquet?" Lexa asked her assistant as soon as she and Clarke exited her office.

"Yes," Aden responded as he reached for a notepad on his desk. "We're at one hundred fifty three."

"Banquet?" Clarke questioned, suddenly interested that she hadn't heard anything about it until now.

"The firm put it together this year to honor past and present clients for their work within the community," Lexa rattled off before continuing, "and to attract future political hopefuls to hire us as their representation during and after their campaigns."

"Sounds... boring," Clarke confessed.

"It is," Lexa immediately responded before thinking about who was in the room. She glanced over at Aden who was trying his hardest to stifle a small smile on his face. "What I mean is, it's very formal."

"Got it," Clarke reassured the brunette and didn't push the subject any further. "When is this banquet anyways?"

"Next Friday," Lexa simply stated. "Do you think you'd be free later that evening?"

"I could probably put in a request for an early shift," Clarke told Lexa who nodded in response. "Why?"

"Maybe we could meet after the banquet... somewhere less formal," Lexa offered.

"Love to," Clarke responded with a smile. "The Ark?"

"Sounds wonderful," Lexa replied with a smile of her own. Their eyes locked for a few moments until Clarke remembered that her lunch break was definitely over, and she would be late for her next surgery if she didn't get going soon.

"It was nice to finally meet you, Clarke," Aden said with a polite smile.

"Likewise," Clarke responded before turning to Lexa. "I should get going."

"Right," Lexa responded as she took a step towards the blonde. Clarke grinned, knowing there were two reasons Lexa wasn't going to kiss her goodbye (Aden and pickle breath), so she leaned foward and lightly planted her lips against the brunette's cheek.

"Bye," she whispered.

"Bye, Clarke," Lexa softly responded with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Clarke walked towards the door and flashed Aden a smile before slipping out of the office. Aden turned his head towards Lexa and the two shared a wordless grin before the young man turned back towards his computer screen and continued working.

* * *

"You're doing great, Raven," Marcus encouraged as he held his arms out to steady the girl.

"I'm just standing here, Doc," Raven quipped with an edge of irritation in her voice. "Pretty sure babies can do this without breaking a sweat."

"That's not a fair comparison and you know it," Clarke interjected.

"Whatever," Raven huffed as she brought a hand up to wipe at the thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. She was literally just standing in the middle of a room with body cushions all around her feet to soften the impact if she fell over.

"I'm not a doctor," Marcus said in reference to Raven using the nickname 'Doc' just a moment ago.

"What?" Raven asked as she whipped her head over to the man.

"Technically physical therapists are not doctors," Marcus clarified. "Well... some are, but I'm not."

"What the hell kind of crackpot did you set me up with this time, Clarke?" Raven barked over at the blonde.

"Raven!" Clarke chastised. "Marcus is probably the most qualified physical therapist in the tri-state area and a personal friend of the Cheif. You're in good hands."

"I better be," Raven muttered as she turned her attention back to concentrating on standing. Her leg was throbbing in pain, and she was actually excited for once to get back into her hospital bed later tonight.

"Oh, before I forget," Clarke started as she turned her attention to her friend, "does Thursday work for Lexa's birthday celebration? I can either reserve one of the family rooms or we can just hang out in your room."

"Yep and doesn't matter to me," Raven responded dismissively before wincing in pain as she struggled to stay perfectly upright.

"Okay, I'll have Octavia and Lincoln plan for Thursday then," Clarke said.

"Lexa's not coming?" Raven questioned when Clarke didn't mention her best friend's name.

"She'll be there," Clarke reassured the brunette. "I had lunch with her today and told her the plan."

Raven smiled slightly as she caught Clarke's eye. "So how's it going with you two? Getting it on yet?"

Clarke's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she frantically looked from Raven to Marcus and back to Raven again before landing a quick slap on her friend's shoulder.

"Raven!"

"Hey, don't hit the cripple!" Raven snapped as her hand reached out for Marcus to steady herself. "Isn't that like the first thing you learned in medical school?"

"Stop embarrassing me then," Clarke gritted through her teeth as her eyes widened for emphasis.

"The sexual tension between this one and her best friend is _insane_ ," Raven told a grinning Marcus. He flicked his gaze over towards Clarke, who was blushing wildly, and grinned even wider.

"Raven..."

"Alright," Marcus interrupted, "let's move onto the parallel bars to end the session."

Raven immediately felt behind her for her wheelchair, and Clarke pushed it to barely rest on the backs of her knees. She lowered herself with a painful huff and slid her hands up and down her thighs, massaging them lightly as she did so. She wasn't allowed to take painkillers before her physical therapy sessions so that she wouldn't overwork her body and end up re-injuring herself.

"Okay, Rae," Clarke said as she stopped the wheelchair in front of the parallel bars and moved to help her friend stand up.

Raven moved slowly even with the help of Clarke, who was holding her firmly around her waist with her arm draped over the top of the blonde's shoulders. It was the most comfortable way for Raven to 'walk' so that she didn't have to put any pressure on her injured leg. Clarke stepped them each up and in between the bars, and Raven's hands immediately went out to her sides and grasped the bars tightly.

"We're going to take slow and small steps from one end of the bars to the other end," Marcus explained as he took his position opposite where Raven was standing. "Just remember to go slowly."

Raven took deep breaths a few times but didn't move. Clarke stepped behind her friend, taking the brunette's hips in her hands in order to balance her friend as she tried to walk without her brace for the first time in years. Another deep breath and a drawn-out exhale from Raven signaled she was about to try but didn't end up moving an inch.

"Fuck!" Raven cursed harshly as she felt the sharp pains in her leg and hip shoot through her body like a bolt of lightning. Clarke instinctively gripped Raven's hips harder, trying to provide the girl with strength.

"I can't do this!" Raven growled.

"You can, Raven," Marcus calmly assured her. "You're strong. Think of something that inspires you, something that gives you strength and focus on that."

"I'll be right back," Clarke said into Raven's ear and quickly headed back to Raven's hospital room before the brunette could protest. She held herself stiffly between the bars with her eyes snapped shut and panted as she tried to block out the pain.

"I promise, Raven," Marcus softly reassured the brunette, "it gets easier each day."

"So I've heard," Raven sighed as she continued to wince in pain from standing on her own. "But in the meantime it still hurts like hell."

"I know," Marcus agrees with her, "the pain is the most intense on these first few days, but it does get easier each day. Believe me."

"You're not even a doctor, Doc," Raven teased. "Why should I believe you?"

Marcus let a small smile play on his lips, but before he could respond Clarke came rushing back into the room with a small stuffed animal in her hands.

"Here," Clarke directed at Raven as she showed her the toy. "This little bunny is from all of your friends, and it represents that each day gets easier." At this point, Clarke rounds the parallel bars and gently places the stuffed bunny on the floor at the opposite end of the bars where Raven was.

"So as you walk towards it," Clarke began to explain, "just imagine getting that much closer to an easier day."

"I thought it represented how cheesy and stupid you all are?" Raven quipped with the tiniest of grins tugging up the corner of her mouth.

"No," Clarke drew-out dramatically, "it represents how each day will be better than the last... with the support of your friends."

Raven huffed out a loud sigh, clearly agitated from the pain she was in.

Clarke stared at her friend and settled her hands on her hips. "Just... humor me, okay?"

After contemplating the blonde's very thoughtful gesture, Raven came up with another one.

"I'll make you a deal," Raven began, "if I reach Mr. Bunny down there, I get to kick him."

After a short beat, Clarke and Marcus each let out a laugh at Raven's suggestion but agreed with her nonetheless.

Raven took a deep breath and glared at the small stuffed bunny staring back at her from the other end of the parallel bars. It seemed to be a mile away, and the brunette wasn't at all confident that she would get all the way down to it without collapsing... or dying from pain overload. She felt a small, reassuring squeeze on her right bicep and looked back to Clarke who was giving her the most determined look she'd ever seen. Raven clenched her jaw and grit her teeth and willed everything in herself to make her first move.

Clarke's chest clenched as she heard a small whimper fall from trembling lips as Raven used her arms to support most of her weight as she brought her right leg forward. She watched as the brunette repositioned her hands further down the bars and let all of her weight rest on her right leg before lifting her left to slowly swing it forward. Raven let out another pained sound as her left foot connected with the platform, and tears began to well up in Clarke's eyes as she heard her friend sniffling back her own sobs.

"You're doing great, Raven," Clarke reassured her friend as best she could without breaking down herself. She was standing behind Raven with her hands hovering over the girl's hips, ready to catch her in case she fell. It was common for patients to collapse in pain while doing this particular exercise during the first few days of practicing it, and Clarke wanted to make sure she didn't let her fall both physically and emotionally.

"Another step," Marcus gently urged when Raven had stopped her progress.

Raven repeated her motions from the last step she took, biting her lip to suppress another whine, suddenly feeling a white hot rage flash through her body and she propelled herself forward to take a third step immediately after her second. The pain was too much to bear for the weakened brunette, and she felt her knees start to buckle before a strong set of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Easy, easy," Clarke coaxed as she angled her knees to let her thighs support Raven's weight while her arms slipped up her friend's torso to hug tightly underneath her breasts. She could feel the brunette's chest heaving as she gasped for air, but Clarke held onto her tightly until she felt Raven slowly regaining her composure. They straightened out, and Clarke reached up to cover Raven's right hand with her own, squeezing it tightly to the bar.

"Clarke," Raven gasped as another sob wracked through her chest.

"You got this," Clarke interrupted as she repositioned her left arm lower around her friend's waist. She felt Raven nod a few times before she clenched the bars and raised herself back up into a standing position.

"I know it's your instinct to want to get through this quickly, but you need to take it slow," Marcus said quietly. "We're not in a hurry."

"Speak for yourself, Doc," Raven said with a quivering voice as she continued to cry in her pain.

"Raven," Clarke said to gain her friend's attention. "Look at the bunny."

Raven did as she was told and let her gaze fall to the small plush object staring back at her. She licked her lips and blinked away her tears, refocusing all of her attention away from her pain and back onto the stuffed animal.

"Go kick the bunny," Clarke commanded.

Raven let out a weak laugh and spurred herself on, successfully taking another two steps over the course of the next ten minutes. Clarke estimated that she was about halfway there and continued to encourage her friend with each additional step she took. Small beads of sweat were trailing down Raven's face and her thin tank top began to stick to her back as she neared the end of the bars. After the final step was taken, Clarke's hands quickly came to rest on Raven's hips again as she steadied her wavering body.

"You did it," Clarke whispered into Raven's ear and simultaneously felt the girl begin to sob. She brought her left foot in front of her body slowly and gently tipped the bunny over so that it was lying on its side. Clarke encircled Raven's waist again as the brunette let her head tip back onto her shoulder and rest the entire weight of her body into her strong arms. Tears streamed down both girls' cheeks as they stood together for a moment an silently rejoiced in Raven's accomplishment.

"That was fantastic," Marcus beamed through glassy eyes.

"Thanks, Doc," Raven weakly responded as she remained in her friend's embrace for another calming moment.

It was just nearing nine o'clock in the evening when Clarke finally made it back home. She was emotionally drained from her physical therapy session with Raven and wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed and sleep for the next five days. She quickly readied herself for bed and pulled out her phone to type a quick message to her best friend.

 **Clarke: Hope I'm not waking you up to say goodnight...**

 **Lexa: Nope, you're right on time.**

 **Lexa: How was your day?**

 **Clarke: It was good. Raven kicked a bunny.**

 **Lexa: Wait, what?**

 **Clarke: Haha, I'll tell you about it later.**

 **Lexa: Alright. Goodnight, Clarke.**

 **Clarke: Goodnight Lexa.**

* * *

Thursday morning came much quicker than Clarke imagined it would thanks to her extremely busy days at the hospital and her physical therapy sessions with Raven each night. She was excited to be able to spend the afternoon with her friends celebrating Lexa's birthday that was coming up on Saturday. Clarke had planned her own birthday date with her best friend, but everyone had chipped in on a gift for Lexa so they decided to get together earlier in the week to give it to her then.

After showering and shaving, Clarke wandered into her kitchen to make a cup of coffee and eat something for breakfast. She grabbed the last package of Pop-Tarts out of the box and popped them in the toaster before quickly padding back to her bedroom to slip off her towel and put on her robe. She was secretly dreading having to work a partial shift before she met her friends but also knew it would help the day go by a little faster.

Clarke happily ate her toasted pastries and sipped on her coffee as she finished getting ready for the day. She slipped on a pair of jean shorts and a navy blue shirt and headed down to her car to make the usually short trip to the hospital. It wasn't but forty five minutes later that she was scrubbing into her first surgery for the morning alongside her good friend.

"I still can't believe they pushed your starting date back so far," Clarke said as she lathered her hands with soap.

"Yeah, it sucks," Wells responded through a sigh. "But they did pay my fees for breaking the lease on my new apartment. Which also kind of sucks because it was a sweet apartment."

"Yeah?" Clarke asked as her eyebrows raised slightly.

"It was just a studio, but the building was an old paper mill that was converted into apartments about ten years ago. Exposed brick, ductwork along the ceilings, big beams and original hardwood floors."

"Wow," Clarke responded. "Jealous."

"No need to be since the apartment isn't mine anymore," he said with a look of disappointment in his eyes. "It would have been my first living alone."

"You know, I kind of miss having a roommate," the blonde said as she rinsed her hands under warm water. "I mean, splitting up the bills is always helpful... but living alone can be a little lonely at times."

"So nobody is warming up your bed at night?" Wells joked with a lop-sided smile on his face.

"Not that it's any of your business but no," Clarke responded through a smile of her own.

"You definitely missed out on your chance with me," Wells went on as he dried his hands with the light blue hand towel beside his side of the sink. "I'm a great bed warmer."

"You wish, Wells," Clarke quipped. "You wish."

The two of them shared a laugh before making their way into the operating room and starting in on their patient. Luckily they were in for a quick and easy surgery this morning, so Clarke would have plenty of time to re-energize before her last scheduled surgery of the day. The procedure went smoothly, and three hours later Clarke and Wells were just finishing off a snack in the cafeteria. They mostly reminisced about their days as interns together and shared that they were each going to miss the other when Wells finally did make his move to Washington DC to start his new position at the hospital there.

Clarke's last scheduled surgery of the day went just as smoothly as the first but was a bit longer, and the blonde was relieved that she was able to call it a day. Her body ached slightly from being on her feet, but it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. Her longest surgery to date lasted more than ten hours, and she slept for a good fourteen hours the following day to make up for it. She flopped herself down on a couch in the employee lounge and took her phone out from her pocket to quickly type out a text.

 **Clarke: Hey you.**

 **Lexa: Hey, how's your day?**

 **Clarke: It has been okay except for one little problem...**

 **Lexa: What's wrong?**

 **Clarke: I can't seem to stop thinking about this gorgeous brunette.**

 **Lexa: Oh, yeah?**

 **Clarke: Yep.**

 **Clarke: I was kind of hoping she would stop by the hospital before her party and make out with me in my office for a little while.**

 **Lexa: What time should I be there?**

Clarke giggled at the fact that Lexa had responded almost instantaneously after she had sent her last text message, but she managed to type out another one just as quickly and send it off.

 **Clarke: I guess that depends on how long you want to make out.**

 **Lexa: Heading out now.**

That earned another laugh from the blonde as she locked her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. Octavia and Lincoln would be arriving in about an hour, so Clarke figured she could get some one-on-one time with Lexa for a little while before they met with their other friends. After another ten minutes of lounging on the couch, Clarke finally pushed herself off and made her way towards her little office down the hallway from where she was. She straightened up the papers on her desk and filed a few patient cases away in her drawers before she heard a light knock on her door followed by the sight of a certain brunette that had been on her mind all day.

"Hi," Clarke greeted the woman with a wide smile as she stepped through the door.

"Hey," Lexa responded with a smaller smile and a thick swallow.

"You got here pretty quick," Clarke started, "must have been excited to see me."

"I'm always excited to see you, Clarke," Lexa responded quietly as a faint blush swept across the tops of her cheeks as she spoke.

"It didn't have anything to do with the kisses I promised you?" Clarke teased as she walked around her desk and stepped up to the brunette.

"Maybe," Lexa responded just as quietly as last time. Clarke lifted her arms to drape around the taller girl's neck and saw Lexa swallow roughly. She pushed herself forward slightly to catch the brunette's lips in a small kiss before pulling back and looking into green eyes. Before she had a chance to say anything, Lexa's lips were on hers again, and they shared a few more light kisses before separating.

"So Raven kicked a bunny?" Lexa asked, recalling her conversation with Clarke over text messaging a few days ago.

"Oh yeah," Clarke started as she chuckled quietly. "So during her first session on the parallel bars, she was having a really tough time getting the courage to try to walk, so I brought the bunny we gave her with the flowers up to the physical therapy room and told her it represented how much we love her and believe in her and that every day will get easier. I put it down on the floor at the other end of the bars for inspiration for her to walk towards, and she asked instead if she could kick it when she got to it because she thinks we're cheesy and stupid for getting her a stuffed animal."

Lexa let out a loud laugh after Clarke had finished telling the story, and the two of them giggled for a moment before Lexa spoke up.

"That's our Raven," was all she said.

"Yeah, it was good though," Clarke said. "She made it all the way to the end on her first try. We didn't tell her that a lot of patients don't even make it a few steps on their first try before giving up."

"But she managed to walk the entire way and kick the bunny," Lexa stated through a smile.

"She kicked the bunny," Clarke repeated, mirroring the brunette's smile.

"Clarke," Lexa started as she looked deeply into her best friend's sparkling blue eyes, "you are an incredible doctor and an amazing friend. Raven is so lucky to have you."

Clarke stood in silence for a moment before she felt tears prickling the backs of her eyes and leaned her face back towards Lexa's to capture her lips in a searing but gentle kiss. She felt long fingers tighten around her waist and then slip behind her back, pulling them closer together as their kiss intensified by the second.

A low moan bubbled up from Clarke's chest as she felt herself being pinned against her desk. A strong thigh slipped between her legs as lips eagerly tangled together and tongues hungrily tasted each other. Clarke drove her fingers deep into soft brunette locks, desperately tugging Lexa closer, and scraped her fingernails gently aginst the warm skin beneath them. A wave of tingles erupted over Lexa's scalp and traveled down her neck and spine as Clarke continued to massage gently.

Without so much as a second thought, Lexa gripped Clarke's hips tightly and lifted her onto the desk and found her place standing between the blonde's legs. Another moan was lost between their mouths and quickly forgotten when Lexa's cool hands slipped under thin material and connected with the hot skin of Clarke's stomach. Their lips ripped from each other's as they struggled for breath while hands explored yet unknown areas, but as soon as Clarke felt a soft kiss on the front of her neck she whimpered loudly and dropped her head back to give Lexa more access to wherever the hell she wanted to kiss.

She felt a rush of hot breath cascade over her neck and down her chest as Lexa exhaled before latching herself back onto the soft patch of skin covering her pulse point. A moan tickled her neck as Lexa felt Clarke's irratic heartbeat under her lips, and the brunette suddenly had an overwhelming urge to suck the flesh into her mouth, marking her, claiming her. She didn't though, knowing that Clarke would just have to explain the hickey to their prying friends later. Instead she slowly let her teeth scrape against the skin there, delighting in the way that Clarke immediately froze at the initial contact.

What she wasn't expecting was for Clarke to be so turned on by the display of dominance that she bucked her hips into the brunette's and sent the throbbing between Lexa's legs into overdrive. The sound of a low groan filled the air, which Lexa could have sworn came from her own throat, and Clarke pushed her hips into Lexa's once again. As Lexa pulled away from the pale neck she was so intently worshipping, she almost drowned in the darkness of Clarke's eyes as they both remained silent and unmoving for a few intense moments.

Lexa's eyelids drooped as she let ger gaze wander from Clarke's eyes, to her mouth, down her neck, and finally landing on the heaving breasts pressed up against her own. She swallowed thickly as Clarke's hand wrapped around her wrist and guided her hand across her rib cage until her fingertips bumped along the bottom edge of her sports bra. The blonde caught a flicker of something in the darkened green eyes looking back at her. Hesitation perhaps.

"Clarke," Lexa whispered so quietly it was barely audible.

She was asking for confirmation, for reassurance that this is actually what she wanted and not just a case of seriously misread signals. Clarke leaned back on her hands so that her palms were resting flat against the surface of her desk and arched her back just slightly into the brunette's touch, and it was all the confirmation Lexa needed. Her hand immediately drew up to cup the generous breast being offered to it as her other hand pushed against the small of Clarke's back. Her palm eagerly dug up as she kneaded the soft, round globe in her hand. Their cheeks were pressed together, their breath tickling each other ears as they both lost themselves in the sensations washing through their bodies and making their hearts race.

" _Yes_ ," Clarke hissed out in a breathy moan as Lexa continued her gentle but purposeful ministrations on her breast before feeling the plump lips again make contact with the smooth skin on her neck. They were so lost in the feeling of lips, hands, and flesh that neither of them heard the small sound of the door handle being pulled down.

When the door to her office suddenly swung into the room, Clarke's eyes shot open in absolute shock as she saw her mother standing there, mouth agape and eyes trained on Lexa's hand currently covering her daughter's breast underneath her scrub top.

"Mom!" Clarke exclaimed loudly, and her eyes widened even more. Lexa tore her lips away from Clarke's neck and ripped her hand out from underneath Clarke's shirt before turning around quickly to meet the older woman's shocked expression. Both women pressed against the desk were panting, their lips clearly swollen from kissing, and no one spoke for what seemed to be minutes.

"I–I... how... how long has this been going on?" Abby stuttered as she moved her eyes back and forth between Lexa and Clarke.

"Two months?" Clarke offered weakly. "Almost two months."

"So this isn't just some random thing that happened? I don't have to be worried that you're taking advantage of my daughter?" Abby asked, directing her last question at Lexa.

"Mom!" Clarke snapped at her mother, "she's not taking advantage of me."

"Mrs. Griffin, I would never..." Lexa started as she shook her head rapidly, "I would never take advantage of Clarke."

"Lexa, I love you like a daughter," Abby began as she took a step towards the nervous brunette, "but Clarke _is_ my daughter, and it's my job to ensure she isn't being taken advantage of."

"Mom, for the last time Lexa is not taking advantage of me," Clarke interjected. "This is mutual, we both want this." Abby took in her daughter's words before looking to Lexa for confirmation.

"Very much," Lexa answered honestly. Abby took a long breath and looked between the two women again for a moment before responding.

"Well, I guess... I mean I'm not going to say that I'm surprised that you two finally got together," Abby rambled, "I just didn't think I would find out quite like... _this_."

Lexa's cheeks immediately lit up in a dark red blush, and Clarke looked equally embarrassed knowing that her mom had just walked in on her being groped by her best friend. It wasn't something either mother or daughter ever wanted to be a part of if they could help it in any way.

"Anyway, I was just coming to find you to tell you that Lincoln and Octavia are in Raven's room," Abby said as calmly as she could while pushing a few loose hairs away from her face.

"Already?" Lexa heard herself say to the blonde.

"I didn't think they would be here for another half hour at least," Clarke responded as she held Lexa's gaze.

"You girls can make up for it after they leave, but for now I think they're expecting you to get up there," Abby cut in with a smirk playing on her lips. They both immediately blushed again, and Abby let out a soft chuckle at the girls' obvious embarrassment. She turned to leave Clarke's office and shut the door behind her with a soft click.

"Oh my gosh, that was mortifying," Clarke groaned as she lifted a hand to her own cheek and looked over to Lexa.

"You weren't the one with your hand up her daughter's shirt!" Lexa snapped back. All Clarke could do was laugh, which made the brunette cover her face with her hands. "Your mother is going to hate me forever."

"She is not going to hate you," Clarke soothed the girl by stepping close and wrapping her arms around her waist. "She _just_ said a second ago that she loves you."

"She's never going to let us live this down, is she?" Lexa questioned as she dropped her hands from her face to look over at Clarke.

"Nope," Clarke simply stated. "Definitely not." She leaned in for another kiss, but Lexa quickly jerked her head back and pulled Clarke's hands from around her waist.

"Are you crazy?!" Lexa exclaimed. "What if your mother comes back in here?"

"Why would she do that?" Clarke asked, clearly amused by Lexa's panic.

"I don't know," Lexa stuttered as she took a safe step away from the blonde. "Just in case..."

Clarke took a step away from the fidgety brunette and sighed before reaching out to intertwine their fingers together.

"Come on," Clarke said with a roll of her eyes and tugged Lexa out of her office and towards Raven's room.

* * *

" **Happy Birthday**!" Octavia, Lincoln and Raven all shouted as soon as Lexa walked through the door to Raven's room. They were all sitting in chairs, including Raven, discussing the latest episode of some new show they miraculously all loved as they waited for the birthday girl to arrive.

"Thank you," Lexa responded with a smile as she moved quickly to give each of her friends a hug.

"Anya says happy birthday too," Raven said as she turned her iPad towards Lexa.

" _Happy Birthday, Commander_ ," Anya said with a smirk as she saw Lexa. " _The cranky one made me FaceTime you_."

"Hey!" Raven snapped from behind her tablet, and the rest of the room erupted in laughter.

"Thank you, Major," Lexa responded with a smile. "So how's life treating you lately?"

" _Fine. We just got back from a sweep of a nearby intel center. No hostiles, so that was a plus_."

"Glad to hear it," Lexa said as she took the tablet from Raven's hands. "Still on track to come back home in a few weeks?"

" _I'm not sure_."

Lexa silently nodded but didn't prod her friend for further details. Usually that type of response meant that, no, she wasn't going to make it home when she thought she would, and Lexa didn't want to bring anyone down while they were all together and celebrating.

"Well, you better make it home before Lincoln and Octavia's wedding," Lexa warned before glancing up at the couple.

" _Oh yeah? So when is this happening?_ "

"A month and a half," Lexa told the soldier.

"Holy shit! Are you pregnant, O?"

"No, asshole," Octavia quipped from the other side of the room before Lexa turned the tablet around towards her. "But you'd better be there."

" _I'll try, for sure. Where are you having it?_ "

"At Abby's house," Octavia said as she took the tablet from Lexa.

" _I don't think I've ever been there._ "

"It's the most amazing house you'll ever seen in your entire life," Octavia gushed.

" _I don't doubt it. I'm sure the most famous heart surgeon in the country makes a shitload of money_."

Clarke just smiled, not taking offense to the implication that her mother is filthy rich. She was, really, but it never seemed to bother Clarke because her mom was always the same woman before she had all the money and after. They bought the lavish home a few years before Clarke's father passed away, and it was truly a sight to behold. Clarke always likened it to a Cape Cod style home on the outside, and her mother had hired an interior designer to furnish and decorate the inside from top to bottom. It was really something out of a magazine, but Abby's personal touches around the house in the form of family pictures and collectibles made it cozy and inviting.

" _So do we have a maid of honor picked?_ "

"Actually yes," Octavia answered slowly as she smiled and raised her eyes over to Raven. "But I haven't asked her yet."

" _We all know it's going to be Raven, so just ask her already_!"

Raven locked eyes with Octavia and let a small smile creep onto her face. Her heart fluttered with appreciation, knowing that her best friend was about to ask her to be her maid of honor.

"What do you say?" Octavia said through a smirk as she continued looking at Raven.

"I guess so," Raven said as she shrugged her shoulders. When the rest of the group laughed, Raven let a smile break out on her face before Octavia stood to give her a tight hug. They stayed entangled for a few moments before Octavia pulled away to kiss her best friend's cheek and return to her seat.

"We all kiss each other way too much," Raven stated as she wiped at her cheek.

"That's because we all love you!" Clarke shrieked as she and Lexa rushed up to either side of her face and planted sloppy wet kisses on her cheeks. The others just laughed, and Octavia made sure to turn the tablet so that Anya could see what was going on.

"Eww, gross!" Raven shouted as she pushed them both away. "Don't put me in the middle of some freaky threesome fantasy you two have going on."

"Raven!" Clarke snapped at her friend as she swatted at the hand pushing her away.

More laughter broke out, and the group settled into a comfortable discussion about Raven's progress in her recovery. The brunette shared that she had been FaceTiming Nate Miller for the last few days when her physical therapy started to intensify and take a toll on her. She told them that his personal experience made it easy for her to understand what she herself was going though, and they really seemed to help each other stay positive.

" _Well, I should probably say goodbye. I need to meet up with my team in about ten minutes_."

"Alright," Lexa said as she took the tablet from Lincoln, who had just finished telling her about a new workout routine he was eager to try with her when she came home. "Thanks for calling in and be safe."

" _Always. Happy Birthday, Lex_."

"Thanks, Anya. Love you," Lexa said softly. It was something she had said to her friend many times before, but she always knew it embarrassed Anya to say it back especially when her Army buddies were around to tease her.

" _Love you too_."

And with that, the screen went blank. Lexa smiled to herself as her friends awed in response to their tender moment until Raven mentioned cake and everyone immediately shifted their attention to the dessert. They each took a healthy slice and dug in as they continued chatting about all the little things friends discuss when they're together. When they had all finished and thrown their paper plates in the trash, Clarke reached over to grab the gift everyone had chipped in to buy and set it in Lexa's lap.

"Happy Birthday," Clarke said through a smile as she dragged her chair closer to Lexa's and sat down.

"It's from everyone," Octavia clarified as she pointed at the box.

Lexa just smiled and returned her attention back to the box in her lap. It was wrapped beautifully with floral patterned paper, something Clarke thought was just perfectly 'Lexa.' As the paper fell from the box, Lexa let a questioning look flash over her face like she was trying to figure out what was inside. When the top finally came off and she pushed a few pieces of tissue paper aside, her mouth dropped when she realized what it was. It was the beautiful leather briefcase she had been admiring with Clarke during their shopping excursion after brunch on the day of Octavia's anniversary party. Her fingers ran over the soft leather slowly before gripping it lightly in her hand and lifting it out of the box. Clarke was smiling widely when Lexa's eyes finally snapped over to her, and she simply sat there with a look of astonishment on her face for a few long moments.

"I don't think she likes it," Raven said, finally breaking the silence.

"I love it," Lexa quickly said over quiet laughing from the rest of the group, "but it's so expensive. I can't believe you guys did this..."

"You deserve it, Lex," Octavia told the awestruck girl.

"Happy Birthday, Lexa," Lincoln piped up as he looked over at his friend with a warm smile.

"Happy Birthday!" Raven echoed as she opened her arms up towards Lexa. She stood and wrapped her friend in a tight hug before turning to Octavia and Lincoln who were already standing. They exchanged hugs, and Lexa finally turned back towards Clarke who stood up and wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck.

"Happy Birthday," Clarke whispered into her ear and squeezed her a little tighter. Lexa's arms wrapped around Clarke's waist as she held her close and tried not to cry.

"Kiss her!" Octavia said excitedly as she bounced in her chair while looking up at the two girls. Lexa pulled away and caught Clarke's gaze before looking down at her lips sheepishly.

"Aww, they're going to kiss!" Lincoln mimicked the girls in a high-pitched voice that made the two brunettes giggle uncontrollably.

Lexa tightened her grip on Clarke's hips as she hesitated, suddenly overwhelmed by her nervousness. As if Clarke sensed it, she brought her hand up to cup Lexa's cheek and leaned in to catch the plump lips she has grown to love in a gentle kiss. Their mouths barely separated before Clarke pushed forward for another small kiss. They smiled shyly at each other as both women's faces turned a light shade of pink before they finally let go of each other and moved to sit back down.

"They are so stinkin' cute," Octavia said wistfully before slapping Lincoln's chest. "They're cuter than we are!"

"How are they cuter than we are? We're adorable," Lincoln teased back.

"At least you guys have someone to be cute with," Raven interjected. "I'm the fifth fucking wheel, how do you think that makes me feel?"

"You won't be once Anya comes back," Clarke pointed out. Lexa immediately caught a slight look of embarrassment cross Raven's face as she broke eye contact with the blonde and blushed ever-so-slightly.

"Yeah, or what ever happened to creepy blonde guy?" Octavia wondered out loud. She grunted when Lincoln's elbow made contact with her ribs. "Alright maybe creepy is the wrong word, but he was definitely not good enough for you, Raven."

"Yeah, he was pretty shallow," Raven said as she recalled a few conversations she'd had with him. "Not that it matters much anymore. I'm not really in the position to date anyone at the moment."

"Hey, can I see that?" Lincoln changed the subject as he gestured to Lexa's new briefcase that she was currently admiring. Lexa nodded and passed the tote over to Lincoln, who immediately ran his fingers over the soft leather and inspected the inside.

"Thank you guys so much," Lexa said as she shook her head in disbelief. "I still can't believe you did that."

The group started in again on how she deserved it and they did it because they all loved her when Clarke's hospital pager went off loudly.

"Shit," she immediately said before reaching for it and pulling it up to her face. "I knew having the entire afternoon off was too good to be true."

"Don't worry about it," Lexa reassured her as she placed her hand gently on the blonde's knee.

"Yeah, Clarke," Octavia started, "go save lives."

"Thanks guys," Clarke said as she offered them a smile before turning to Lexa. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you," Lexa responded with a sparkle in her eye and a smile on her face. Clarke leaned over and brushed her lips against Lexa's cheek before she stood up and waved her goodbyes to the group.

"Do they make men's briefcases?" Lincoln asked Lexa as he pointed down to the tote still in his hands.

"You don't even have a job that requires a briefcase," Octavia said as she rolled her eyes.

"I might someday," Lincoln retorted.

"Actually, I think they do," Lexa said as she reached for her gift. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Clarke was so excited to give that to you," Octavia said.

"Oh my gosh, it was getting so annoying," Raven interjected with a dramatic eye-roll. "She would practically scream every time she talked about it."

Lexa smiled brightly as she looked down at the tote again and imagined Clarke giddy with excitement as she talked to her friends about it. How she didn't fall in love with this woman sooner than she already had was a complete mystery to her. Clarke Griffin was as close to perfect as perfect could get. Little did she know that Clarke was thinking the exact same things about her too.

* * *

After her last successful surgery of the day, Clarke found herself walking down an empty hallway in search of an on-call room to relax in before she had to meet up with Raven for her physical therapy session. She smiled to herself as she let her mind wander back to earlier that afternoon when she had finally been able to give Lexa her birthday gift. Hoping there might be a text message from her favorite brunette on her phone, she fished it out of the pocket of her scrubs and pushed down on a door handle to the first on-call room she came across, but the handle didn't budge. Clarke sighed and slowly walked to the next room, relieved to find the door unlocked as she pushed her way in. What she wasn't relieved to find was her mother, wrapped up in a passionate embrace with the new physical therapist she and Raven had been working with all week.

In a sick and twisted version of déjà vu, she flashed back to earlier that very day when Abby had caught her making out with Lexa and cringed. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she trailed her gaze down to see her mother's hands tightly gripping Marcus' ass through his scrubs. A small wave of nausea washed over Clarke's body as she heard the audible pop of lips separating and noticed both parties panting for breath. She barely registered her mother's surprised exclamation of her name before Clarke was turning around and slamming the door behind her.

"Clarke!" Abby called again after her daughter as she and Marcus hurriedly exited the room. "Clarke, wait!"

She wasn't entirely sure why, but Clarke stopped a few feet from the door and turned around to face her mother for an explanation that she didn't really even want to hear. Another small wave of nausea threatened to bring up the cereal she had eaten in the cafeteria with Wells earlier that day. Her eyes snapped down to her mother's lips which were bright red and slightly chapped, and a look of disgust slowly crept over her face as she waited for someone to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke," Marcus interjected as he walked up behind Abby. When Clarke shot him a glare, the older woman turned to him and softly spoke.

"Can you give us a minute, Marcus?" Abby asked.

"Of course," Marcus agreed before running a hand through is hair and throwing another apologetic look towards the angry blonde. He walked down the hallway and around the corner before the women continued their conversation.

"What the hell, Mom?" Clarke nearly screamed, and Abby raised her hands as she gestured for her daughter to keep her voice down.

"Since when do you make out in on-call rooms with strangers?" Clarke hissed in a slightly quieter tone.

"He's not a stranger, Clarke..." Abby started but was quickly interrupted.

"You've known him for, what like, two weeks? That's a stranger! For all you know he could be some kind of serial killer or something!" Clarke exaggerated with wide eyes.

"Clarke," Abby reprimanded her daughter before continuing, "I'd like to think I'm a little better judge of character than that. Besides didn't you say that you and Raven both like him?"

"That was before I walked in on him kissing my mother!" Clarke nearly shouted again. As that realization sunk in, she brought her hand up to rest on her heated forehead. "Oh my g– I just walked in on him kissing my mother..."

"Clarke," Abby said as another warning for her daughter to keep her voice down.

"That's disgusting!" Clarke exclaimed as her head whipped up to finally meet her mother's eyes.

"Clarke!" Abby snapped back, clearly understanding why her daughter was so upset but wanting to defend herself at the same time. "Might I remind you that I walked in on your little make-out session just earlier today?"

"That was different!" the flustered blonde tried to deflect. "Your hands were on his _ass_!"

"Lexa's hands were _up_ your shirt!" Abby heard herself shout back.

"This is the most disgusting 'like mother like daughter' moment we have ever had," Clarke groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose tightly. Abby couldn't help but laugh at that and pushed her luck by voicing her train of thoughts.

"We both work odd hours, Clarke," Abby began, "and I have needs just like you do."

"Oh, no! No! No! Stop talking," Clarke rapidly said as she shook her head violently. "Stop talking now!"

"Listen honey, I know this might be hard to hear," Abby said softly, "but I'm genuinely interested in Marcus. Don't dismiss it so fast. Please."

Clarke looked up at hearing her mother's sincere words and felt herself nod once.

"Look, I really just wanted to relax before meeting Raven for her physical therapy session," Clarke informed her mother with a sigh. Abby nodded and stepped aside to let her daughter pass to see her enter two rooms down from the one she and Marcus had just been in.

Clarke flopped herself down onto the bed and closed her eyes, trying desperately to erase the image she had just unfortunately had burned in her brain for all of eternity. It was hard for her to hear that her own mother was moving on from her father, even though he had been gone for years. She knew it was selfish to hope that her mother would never find another man to love, but that's what she had hoped nonetheless every day after her father's death.

Her phone quietly vibrated and brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked down to see a new text message alert from Lexa.

 **Lexa: I can't thank you enough for the gift, Clarke. I absolutely love it.**

 **Clarke: You're welcome. You work hard and deserve nice things.**

 **Lexa: I can't wait to see you on Saturday. Are you sure you can't tell me what we are doing?**

 **Clarke: Positive. Now stop trying to ruin the surprise and go to bed.**

 **Lexa: It's 6:30pm, Clarke. I'm not going to bed.**

 **Lexa: Not everyone needs fourteen hours of sleep like you do.**

 **Clarke: That was one time after a ten hour surgery! I deserved those 14 hours.**

 **Lexa: One time? That's a lie.**

 **Clarke: Alright, make a deal with me then. Stop texting me so that I can take a power nap before I meet up with Raven for her PT session.**

 **Lexa: Only if you text me goodnight when you get home.**

 **Clarke: Deal.**

 **Lexa: Goodnight, Clarke.**

Clarke smiled and rolled over onto her side, letting her eyelids fall and sleep to take her away for the next thirty minutes. It seemed like only seconds before her alarm was going off, and Clarke rubbed at her sleepy eyes while she stretched her body on top of the bed in the on-call room. She slowly rose to her feet and headed up to Raven's room only to find her already gone. The quick elevator ride up helped Clarke mentally prepare for conversing with Marcus after 'the incident' just a short time ago, and she took a deep breath when she stepped out of the elevator and towards the physical therapy wing. As soon as she rounded the corner, she saw Marcus standing outside with a sheepish look on his face.

"Clarke," he immediately began, "may I speak with you?"

Clarke simply nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I just wanted to apologize for what you saw earlier," Marcus said as his chin dipped down and looked out at Clarke practically through his eyebrows. "Never would I _ever_ have wished for that moment to happen in front of you."

"That makes two of us," Clarke quickly said as she raised an eyebrow at the man.

"Your mother and I went on a proper date last week, we've been speaking every day since I transferred here, and I am so indescribably taken by her that it... crushed me when you walked in and saw us kissing like that," Marcus explained as his eyes became glassy. "Clarke, I am _not_ that guy. I'm not _that guy_."

Noting the sincerity in his voice, Clarke took a deep breath and clenched her jaw before speaking.

"I just – I don't understand... why didn't she just tell me she had a date with you?" Clarke wondered out loud.

"I can't be sure," Marcus responded honestly. "But maybe it's for some of the same reasons you didn't tell her you've been dating someone for the last two months."

Checkmate.

~*~*~*~ Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy ~*~*~*~


	12. Chapter 12

_"Ow, fuck!" Clarke screamed as her mother spread a thick layer of cream across the sensitive skin on the inside of her daughter's forearm._

 _"Clarke, hold still," Abby chastised her as she chased after the arm that had just been wrenched out of her grasp._

 _"You have no idea how much this fucking hurts," Clarke snapped back, her voice laden with pain._

 _"It's a third degree burn, Clarke. I know it hurts," Abby told her daughter as she finally wrapped her fingers around Clarke's wrist._

 _"Well, if you did then you wouldn't be grinding that shit into my skin so fucking hard!" Clarke said with a flinch as her mother continued her earlier actions._

 _"Clarke, stop with the theatrics," Abby gritted through her teeth._

 _Clarke had a bad habit of swearing like a sailor whenever she was hurt or in pain, and today was certainly no exception. She couldn't have cared less that other patients in the emergency room were looking at her and that her fellow co-workers were snickering every time they passed her bed. Her arm fucking hurt, and she was almost as angry at the reason for her pain as she was at the actual intensity of her pain._

 _"Lexa will never let you live this down," Octavia said from the foot of the bed as she shook her head in disbelief and snapped a picture of the blonde with her phone._

 _"What are you doing?" Clarke asked in a tone that sounded just as irritated as she felt._

 _"Documenting," Octavia replied as she raised both eyebrows and put on the most innocent expression she could manage. Clarke groaned and let her gaze drop back down to her injured arm._

 _"Just don't post that picture until Sunday," Clarke grumbled as she snapped her eyes shut while her mother began wrapping a soft strip of gauze around her arm._

* * *

"Clarke!" Octavia called out to the blonde as she and Lincoln walked into a seemingly empty apartment.

"What?" Clarke yelled from another room.

"You left your door unlocked again," the brunette said after Lincoln had closed the front door behind him and locked it.

"You don't have a key anymore," Clarke stated as she walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where her friends were setting a few bags on the counter alongside some others Clarke had just brought home from her trip to the market. "Holy– how much shit did you guys bring?"

"Everything we'll need," Lincoln piped up as he began unloading various pots and pans from their bags.

"Hey, I have pot holders!" Clarke whined as she noticed Octavia lifting two from her bag. "Plus, there's no way I'm using those," she said referring to the silicone ones Octavia had brought.

"Why not?" Octavia asked as she quirked her brow.

"They freak me out," Clarke began as her eyes widened for effect. "How can you tell me that a piece of plastic is going to protect my hands from being burned. It doesn't make any sense!"

"Trust me, Clarke," Lincoln interjected. "These are much better, especially since we'll be using a water bath."

"A water bath?" Clarke asked in complete and utter confusion.

"Yeah," Lincoln responded, thinking nothing of it as he continued unpacking his bags.

"To make a cheesecake?" Clarke asked, seemingly even more confused.

"Yes," Lincoln simply answered.

"You put cheesecake... in a water bath... to make it?" Clarke asked for the third time.

"Jeez, Clarke, you _are_ clueless," Octavia chimed in as she quickly tapped around on her phone.

"Uh, why do you think I asked you guys to help me with this in the first place?" Clarke asked with a slight edge of irritation in her voice.

"Right, sorry," Octavia replied as she put her phone back into her purse and walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

"Okay, so what's first?" Clarke directed at her friends as she eagerly rubbed her hands together, ready to learn.

"Octavia," Lincoln started, "can you preheat the oven to three hundred fifty degrees?"

"On it," Octavia said as she dried her hands on the kitchen towel and turned to the oven to start the preheat to Lincoln's specifications.

"Clarke, grab some graham crackers and crush them into crumbs inside one of these zipper bags. I usually use a rolling pin," Lincoln instructed.

"I think I can handle that," Clark replied.

"Now," Lincoln started as he was making sure they had everything they needed, "remember to watch and listen to all of the steps very carefully because you'll be on your own tomorrow."

"Yep, I know," Clarke answered with a smile.

"I don't get why you can't just give her the one we're going to make today," Octavia questioned the blonde.

"Because I want to make it by myself... all by myself," Clarke said.

"She is totally going to kill herself tomorrow when she attempts this unsupervised," Octavia said as she looked over to Lincoln.

"Then do a good job teaching me today so there's no issues tomorrow," Clarke quipped back as she set to work pulverizing the graham crackers under her rolling pin.

"Octavia, can you grease the cheesecake pan and make sure the pan for the water bath clean and ready to go?" Lincoln asked his fiancée.

"On it!" Octavia quickly agreed.

It certainly was easier when there were multiple people helping out in the kitchen. While Clarke was finishing her final touches on creating her graham cracker crumbs, Lincoln began measuring out the wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Shortly after that, he had attached the mixing bowl to the mixer and began beating the ingredients together to form a smooth white chocolate cream cheese filling for the graham cracker shell.

"Okay, I'm done crushing the graham crackers," Clarke announced. "What do I do with them now?"

"Look at the recipe on the counter," Lincoln told the blonde. "You'll add sugar and butter to the graham cracker crumbs to bind everything together, and that will be our cheesecake crust. The amounts of sugar and butter are listed in the recipe."

"Got it," Clarke understood as she saw exactly what Lincoln said she would. "I guess I need a bowl?"

"Here, clumsy," Octavia said as she slid one over to the blonde. "Wait, you do know how to stir... right?"

"Shut up, I'm not that useless," Clarke snapped at her friend just as she lifted the graham cracker crumbs from the counter only to see them start spilling out of a giant hole in the bottom of the bag.

"Clarke!" Lincoln shouted to get her attention as he watched the crumbs spill everywhere.

"Shit!" Clarke exclaimed as she moved her hand to cover the hole in the bag.

"You were saying?" Octavia said with a clearly unamused look on her face.

The rest of the preparations went smoothly overall. Lincoln had made this dessert a few times before, so he took charge of doling out jobs and teaching Clarke various techniques for constructing the graham cracker crust and properly spreading the cream cheese filling. He showed her how the springform pan worked and explained why the cheesecake was baked in a water bath. She still thought the idea was a little strange but went with it regardless, and not before long the cheesecake was assembled and ready to be baked.

"So what do you have planned for the big birthday date?" Octavia asked over her wine glass before she took a healthy sip.

They were all sitting around the dining room table making small talk while the cheesecake was in the oven, and Clarke had poured them each a glass of wine that she'd bought specifically for them after they had so graciously agreed to help teach her how to bake Lexa's favorite dessert for her birthday celebration the next day.

"Dinner on the beach," Clarke told them as she happily sipped on her own glass of wine.

"Like a picnic?" Octavia asked.

"Yeah," Clarke confirmed. "I got all her favorite foods, a nice bottle of wine, and there's an outdoor movie playing in a park nearby I thought we could go to. Then we'll come back here for cheesecake."

"Oh yeah," Octavia purred as she wagged her eyebrows. "There's always room for cheesecake."

"You, shut up," Clarke replied with a smirk and a teasing glare toward her friend.

"Sounds like she'll love it," Lincoln chimed in. "You are getting her flowers, right?"

"Yeah, the flower freak definitely needs flowers on her birthday," Octavia agreed with wide eyes and a steady nod.

"Yep, I got that covered too," Clarke said with a smile as Lincoln smiled back with a gleam in his eyes.

"I'm glad you two finally got together, Clarke," Octavia added. "She's good for you."

"Too good maybe," Clarke said softly before taking another sip of her wine.

"Why do you say that?" Octavia questioned her friend.

"She just – she's just... so incredible," Clarke gushed about her best friend. "She's patient and kind and respectful. She's highly successful and absolutely beautiful. And she's the best friend I've ever had in my life. I just don't know if I deserve someone so wonderful."

"Clarke, you're amazing," Octavia reassured her friend softly. "And Lexa loves you. You're her world."

A deep blush slowly crept over the blonde's cheeks at her friend's words, and she felt her heart start to flutter wildly in her chest. She knew Lexa loved her, but was it that kind of love? Clarke knew she loved Lexa too, but was it that kind of love? Her heart began beating faster at the thought that she might actually be falling in love with her best friend and that her best friend might very well be feeling the same way. It was a whole new level of excitement Clarke had never before felt, and she was quickly becoming addicted to the sensation of it.

The minutes ticked by rather quickly as the three friends made light conversation until the timer started beeping in the kitchen, signaling that the dessert had finished baking.

"Cheesecake is done, ladies!" Lincoln called out from the kitchen as he stood up from peering into the oven to check on it.

"Yay!" Octavia cheered as she jumped up from her chair and headed into the kitchen.

"Does it look good?" Clarke wondered out loud as she walked slowly into the kitchen, knowing that pretty much anything she has ever attempted to bake has turned out a disaster.

"Looks perfect," Lincoln reassured her as he handed her the silicone potholders.

"I told you I'm not using those things!" Clarke said dramatically as she reached into a drawer to pull out her own.

"You are so stubborn, Clarke," Octavia said with a roll of her eyes. "Good luck, Lexa."

Clarke just shot her friend a glare before slipping the heat-protectant mits over her hands and opening the oven door. To say she was nervous to pull a hot pan of cheesecake surrounded by scalding water from the oven was an understatement, but she knew she had to practice before trying it on her own tomorrow. The water sloshed precariously as Clarke straightened herself up and slowly inched it towards the counter top to her left.

All three friends let out sighs of relief when the pan met the sturdy surface, thankful that their baking-challenged friend didn't drop the dessert or pour the water all over herself or something just as painful. Clarke smiled widely as she looked down at the cheesecake and happily noted there were no cracks along the top. Lincoln had told her there shouldn't be any if it was done correctly.

"Looks great, Clarke!" Lincoln enthused as he stepped up to the pan and began to show her how to lift the cheesecake out of the water bath without burning herself.

But in a cruel twist of irony as she was leaning herself towards Lincoln to get a better view of what he was doing, Clarke managed to straighten her arm just far enough to make contact with the burning edge of the oven whose door was still hanging wide open from when she had taken the cheesecake out of it just moments ago. It wasn't the physical sensation of being burned but rather the sound of her skin literally sizzling under the heat of the metal that made Clarke finally pull her arm away with a screech that was immediately followed by a slew of curse words.

" **MOTHER FUCK**!" Clarke screamed as she gripped her fingers tightly around the outside of her forearm, careful not to cover the burn on the inside of it. "Son of a _fucking bitch_!"

Lincoln sprang into action as he grabbed Clarke's arm forcefully and yanked her over to the sink. She cried out in pain as the cold water poured over her arm from the open tap as Lincoln held it steady under the faucet.

"You have to shut the fucking door, Clarke!" Octavia yelled at her friend over her screaming and watched as the blonde bounced her legs in pain as she stood next to her fiancé.

"Fucking _shit_ , that hurts!" Clarke groaned through gritted teeth as she dropped her head and slumped her body forward to rest on the counter in front of the sink.

Octavia shut the oven door quickly and walked over to Clarke, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder as she peered over to check out the damage. An angry red mark stained the pale skin on the inside of Clarke's right forearm, and Octavia noted in horror a large piece of skin hanging down from the burn and large blisters already starting to form on and around the wound.

"Shit, Clarke," Octavia hissed from over the blonde's shoulder, "we have to get you into the hospital. This looks bad."

Clarke only nodded, knowing full well that she had managed to seriously injure herself and would need medical attention as soon as possible. Her body began to shiver slightly as her friends hurried to put their shoes on and find something to wrap around Clarke's arm during the car ride to the hospital. She couldn't stop wincing and her right hand flinched with every step she took as they made their way from the apartment and down to Clarke's car.

Luckily it didn't take much time for Octavia to drive them to the hospital, and Clarke was immediately relieved when she saw her mother quickly walking towards her as they made their way through the emergency room doors. Abby's eyes immediately went to the clean white dish towel wrapped around her daughters arm and reached out for it as soon as she was close enough.

"Mom – " was all Clarke could manage to get out before she felt her mother's hands wrap gently around her injured arm.

"What happened?" Abby asked in a concerned yet strong tone of voice.

"She burned herself on the oven," Octavia quickly answered.

"You let her cook?" Abby said as she snapped her head towards the brunette.

Clarke just let out a groan and tipped her head back, unamused at the direction to which the conversation had quickly changed.

"Come on," Abby finally said as her hand found Clarke's back and pushed her gently towards an open patient bed in the middle of the emergency room.

* * *

"Just don't post that picture until Sunday," Clarke grumbled as she snapped her eyes shut while her mother wrapped a soft strip of gauze around her arm. "I don't want to ruin the surprise."

"What surprise?" Abby asked as she continued dressing her daughter's injury.

"She wanted to bake cheesecake for Lexa's birthday tomorrow," Octavia explained to the older doctor. "Lincoln and I came over for a practice run, and this is what happened."

"Clarke, please tell me you're not going to attempt another cheesecake tomorrow without us," Lincoln pleaded with the blonde.

"What? I'm fine," Clarke lied as she tried desperately to hide the grimace of pain stretching across her face.

"Clarke," Abby warned.

"No mom, I'm fine," Clarke lied again. "I'll be fine." She had to be fine.

"Just use the one we already made," Octavia told her friend. "Lexa will never know."

"I have to make her a _blueberry_ cheesecake," Clarke responded. "That's her favorite. Blueberry."

The blonde huffed as the three people surrounding her continued to look at her with puzzled expressions on their faces. She didn't care what they thought, she was going to make Lexa a blueberry cheesecake tomorrow all by herself even if she died doing it. The group decided not to push the topic, knowing that once Clarke had set her mind to something she was going to do it no matter what and telling her not to would only spur her on even more.

"Just be careful, honey," Abby told her daughter as she finished bandaging the tender arm.

"Yeah, I will," Clarke said as she moved to stand up from the bed.

"Hang on for a minute," Abby said as she snapped off her latex gloves. "I need to get you a prescription for a burn ointment and some antibiotics to make sure it doesn't get infected. Do you need any pain killers?"

"No," Clarke responded quickly. The pain in her arm was still intense, but she figured it would most likely be better tomorrow and nothing that a few aspirin couldn't handle.

"Alright, stay put," Abby conceded and left to get her daughter's medicine.

Clarke sighed as she lightly brushed her fingers over the gauze wrapped around her arm. Her skin was throbbing underneath, and she was suddenly quite thrilled that she'd already worked an early morning shift and wasn't working again until Monday morning. Hopefully over the next few days, the burn would start to heal and wouldn't be quite as painful as it was at the moment.

"Clarke, are you alright?" Wells asked as he approached the three friends waiting for Abby to come back with Clarke's medicine.

"Oh yeah," Clarke dismissively responded. "Just almost burned my arm off."

"And how did that happen?" Wells asked.

"She tried baking," Octavia interjected without raising her head up from looking down at her phone.

"I caught it on the oven when the door was open," Clarke clarified after rolling her eyes at the brunette and looking back toward Wells.

"Well, just let me know if you need someone to cover your next shift or something," Wells offered. "I know it sucks working when you're injured."

"Thanks, Wells," Clarke replied with a smile. "I appreciate it."

They said their goodbyes and just as Wells was leaving, Abby returned with a small bag of items for her daughter to take home to care for her burn.

"Antibiotics twice a day for the next week, fresh bandages every four to six hours, ointment at least once a day," Abby rattled off to her daughter as she handed her the bag. "Try to rest your arm as much as possible so that the gauze doesn't agitate the burn, and be very careful submerging it under water."

Clarke said nothing in response other than acknowledge her mother's instructions by nodding her head once. She took the bag and thanked her mother for cleaning up her wound and headed back out to her car with Lincoln and Octavia. The drive back to Clarke's apartment was a tad longer than the drive to the hospital as evening traffic started to settle in on the busy city roads.

"Well," Clarke said with a sigh as she walked through the front door of her apartment, "I'm starving after all that... you guys want to stay for dinner? I at least owe you that much."

"We'd love to, but don't feel like you owe us anything, Clarke," Lincoln reassured the blonde.

"And definitely don't even think about trying to cook us dinner," Octavia interjected as she closed the door behind her. "I can order a pizza."

"We can try the cheesecake too," Clarke said as she made her way over and looked down into the pan still filled with water surrounding the dessert. "Or do you think it's ruined?"

"Might be a little over-done," Lincoln answered as he made his way over to inspect it. "But it's worth a taste. I mean, you _did_ almost die making it."

Clarke punched Lincoln hard on the upper arm, and the man just laughed before he got to work taking the cheesecake out of the pan and getting it onto a plate. He had planned on making a nice raspberry coulis later than evening to go on top of the dessert, since Clarke had insisted they bring home whatever they made that day, but he was relatively confident that it would taste fine without. There was a large amount of white chocolate in it after all, so how bad could it actually be?

 **Lexa: Hey you. How was your day?**

 **Clarke: It was... eventful.**

 **Clarke: What are you up to?**

 **Lexa: On my way to the hospital to visit Raven.**

 **Lexa: Will you be there?**

 **Clarke: No, we had an early PT session today.**

 **Lexa: Oh, okay. Can't say I'm not disappointed I don't get to see you tonight.**

 **Clarke: I'll make up for it tomorrow.**

 **Lexa: Oh yeah? How?**

 **Clarke: Wouldn't you like to know, Woods...**

 **Lexa: Yes please.**

 **Clarke: Nope, tomorrow is still a surprise.**

 **Lexa: What time should I be ready by?**

 **Clarke: I'll pick you up at six. Don't eat dinner.**

 **Lexa: My first clue! Dinner!**

 **Clarke: And that's all you get... for now.**

 **Lexa: Wait, so I don't get to see you until six?**

 **Lexa: Can't we meet sooner? I want to spend the day with you.**

 **Clarke: I have some things to do before then... preparations to be made.**

 **Lexa: I don't need preparations. All I need is you.**

Clarke's heart nearly jumped out of her chest at Lexa's last text message, and she quickly locked it before responding again.

 **Clarke: I'll try to get done earlier. I promise.**

 **Lexa: Alright. Hey, I'm at the hospital now. Text me goodnight?**

 **Clarke: Will do. Say hi to Raven for me.**

 **Lexa: Will do.**

"You are such a sap," Octavia said to her grinning friend.

"What?" Clarke asked, genuinely confused.

"You're sitting there texting Lexa with the dopiest grin on your face," the brunette told her. "You're a sap."

"Whatever," Clarke said dismissively.

"Don't give her shit, O," Lincoln said as he sat down next to his fiancée on the couch. "We were the same when we first got together."

"We were never that bad," Octavia replied quickly.

"I'm sure we were," Lincoln said. "Everyone is when they've just fallen in love."

"What?" Clarke questioned as her stomach did a quick flip. "We're not in love. I mean... it's too soon for that. Isn't it too soon?"

"Definitely not," Octavia replied. The brunette had a sneaking suspicion that her two friends were already in love with each other even if they didn't see it themselves yet.

"You guys have been best friends for years and dating for, what, two months already?" Lincoln asked.

"Almost two months," Clarke answered as she absentmindedly ran her fingers over her fresh injury.

"If you two weren't already so close for so long, it might be a little fast," Octavia offered, "but anyone can see how crazy Lexa is about you, and honestly you're getting to be just about as bad, my friend."

"I do like her," Clarke admitted with a smile. "A lot."

"Well, she definitely likes you back," Lincoln assured her. "A lot."

A loud knock sounded on the front door, and Octavia bounced up from her seat to answer it. She had put in an order for a large pizza from their favorite pizza place down the street while Clarke had been busy texting Lexa, but the blonde did insist paying for it as a way to thank her friends for all their help today. They munched on their pizza and watched some TV, chatting idly about the upcoming wedding and teasing Clarke a bit more about her newest cooking-related injury until it was almost dark. The cheesecake was packed up, hugs were given out, and goodbyes were said, and Clarke finally found herself collapsed on her bed and drifting off to sleep as her sleepy thoughts lingered on a special brunette whom she couldn't wait to spend the day with tomorrow.

* * *

"Oh, _fuck_ yes!" Clarke dramatically said to herself as she carefully popped open the springform pan to reveal an intact cheesecake just waiting to be popped onto a serving plate and carefully garnished with a fresh blueberry topping she had made while it was baking.

She honestly couldn't believe that nothing had blown up, caught on fire, or fell on the floor during the hours she had been clumsily banging around her kitchen as she tried to recreate what she and her two friends had done just the day before. Sure the graham cracker crust was a little uneven along the sides, and yes there were a few cracks in the top of the cheesecake, but Clarke was thrilled at the fact that she had made something so special (and so freaking difficult) for Lexa on her birthday. By the time she was pouring the blueberry topping over the cheesecake, Clarke was just about bursting with excitement to see Lexa and spend as much of the day with her as possible.

It was about three in the afternoon, but the kitchen was a mess, as was Clarke, and both needed to be cleaned up thoroughly before Lexa could lay eyes on either one. It took a good forty five minutes to give the kitchen a deep clean, and the blonde was practically itching to get in the shower and scrub away all the random streaks and smudges of ingredients left on her skin and in her hair from her earlier activities in the kitchen. The bathroom quickly filled with steam from the hot shower, and Clarke hopped in quickly while still being careful not to wet the burn on her arm with the hot water pouring down from the shower head.

It still hurt the day after, but the feeling of the initial trauma to the skin was gone and the pain was manageable with a few aspirin throughout the day. She scrubbed herself down and washed the grit that was most likely sugar out of her hair as her mind went over the plans she had laid out for the evening. If all went according to schedule, Clarke would arrive at Lexa's between five-thirty and six o'clock, and they would take then take a short drive to a small but secluded beach about twenty minutes outside of the city. She had scouted out the perfect location for their picnic a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to see how Lexa would react.

All of the food for their picnic was already packaged up and waiting in the refrigerator to be packed into the basket Clarke just purchased for this very day. She had never owned a picnic basket before and thought it was as good an excuse as any to finally get one for herself. What she didn't want to tell any of her friends was how much she had splurged on a new blanket from Burberry to bring along on the picnic as well, figuring they all would have freaked out at how much she'd spend on it. She had momentarily questioned it herself before she actually bought it but reasoned with herself that she was a successful surgeon with minimal monthly expenses and no student loan debt so she could afford name brand stuff if she damn well pleased.

The outfit she had planned for the evening was simple but cute: ripped jean shorts, a black tank top, and a thin plaid button-down shirt that she planned on leaving open and pairing with casual black flip flops. She opted for no jewelry and finished her hair with heavy curls. Her makeup would be minimal as well, but she made sure to put on just the right amount to make her blue eyes pop against the black of her painted lashes. She did end up spending more time than she wanted to in the shower to shave, making sure she had meticulously groomed each and every inch of skin that she'd sought out before later applying a thick coating of moisturizing lotion to her entire body. Teeth were brushed, perfume was dabbed, and Clarke was finally ready to go. She made a mental check of everything she needed before heaving it all into her arms and heading down to her jeep.

 **Clarke: On my way!**

 **Lexa: Can't wait!**

Why Clarke had butterflies in her stomach when she pulled up to Lexa's apartment building wasn't a mystery, and she inhaled deeply before letting out a long steady breath as she waited for her beautiful best friend to appear from the other side of the doors. When she finally saw her, Clarke nearly stopped breathing. She strode past the door and out onto the sidewalk sporting a pair of dark blue jean shorts, a floppy white shirt, and a smile so warm it made Clarke's heart jump in her chest. Her hair was down, curled loosely, and draped in front of her left shoulder, and she had a pair of sunglasses dangling from the collar of her shirt. Her skin was deeply tanned and looked to be almost shimmering in the late afternoon sun, and Clarke had to tell herself to stop ogling her best friend's long and imaginably incredibly smooth legs. She barely had time to swallow before the brunette was opening the door and climbing into her truck.

"Hey," Clarke simply said as she stared at the girl and smiled.

"Hey yourself," Lexa replied with a mimicking smile.

"Happy Birthday!" Clarke said as her eyes trailed down her friend's face to land on her lips.

"Thank you," Lexa said before she leaned over to meet Clarke's lips in a quick kiss.

"You look really hot," Clarke bluntly stated, not sure of how else to describe the way she thought the brunette looked at this very moment. Lexa let out a surprised laugh and blushed profusely before offering her thanks once again.

"You look beautiful, Clarke," Lexa told her as the blonde slowly began to pull away from the apartment building.

"Thanks," Clarke responded, and this time it was she who blushed.

"So where are we going?" Lexa asked curiously. She had been left in the dark this entire time and was bursting to know what Clarke's plans were for the night.

"We're having a picnic on a little beach I found about twenty minutes away," Clarke informed the brunette, "and I found a park near the beach that's showing an outdoor movie tonight that I thought we could go to afterwards."

"That sounds like the perfect night," Lexa responded through a smile. "Thank you for the flowers by the way. They're beautiful."

"You're very welcome," Clarke replied. She had put in an order for a large bouquet of yellow peonies, Lexa's favorite, to be delivered to her apartment earlier that morning. Lexa was a flower lover, so she knew she would appreciate the gesture as a way of making her birthday just that much more special.

The ride to the beach was filled with chatter, laughter, and even a little bit of singing as the girls lost themselves in an easy and familiar rhythm of back-and-forth conversation until they finally reached their destination. Clarke parked her truck on a quiet street and quickly hopped out to circle back to the trunk where all of her supplies were packed. She took the picnic basket and Lexa grabbed the blankets, and they made their way down to a quiet area where the sand looked virtually undisturbed and tucked back just far enough that they were protected from the wind. Not that it was a particularly windy day, but there was usually always a breeze that wafted off the ocean shores and could possibly make for an unpleasant dining experience.

"How did you find this place?" Lexa questioned as she trudged behind Clarke, reveling in the feeling of the warm sand around her bare feet as she went.

"I have my ways," Clarke said with a smirk as she looked back at the brunette from over her shoulder.

"Should we set up here?" Clarke asked while she slowed her pace just as they reached a small pocket of flawless soft sand.

"Looks good to me," Lexa said as she looked to the two blankets in her arms. She admired the plaid one for a moment before speaking again. "Is this an _actual_ Burberry blanket?"

"Yeah, I just got it," Clarke replied as she put the picnic basket down on the sand.

"It's beautiful," the brunette said as she slipped her hands over the soft material. "But why the hell did you bring it to the beach? It must have cost you a fortune!"

"Technically, _you_ brought it to the beach," Clarke pointed out with a smirk in the corner of her mouth.

"Was I not supposed to? You should have told me to leave it behind!" Lexa frantically said as she clutched the expensive blanket to her chest, suddenly scared that it might fall from her grasp and onto the sand.

"Don't worry about it, Lexa," Clarke said to her worried friend. "I bought it to use it. We can set it up here or use it at the park. Wherever."

Lexa didn't respond but carefully tucked the more expensive blanket between her knees while she unfolded the other and draped it along the sand before placing the plaid blanket in a corner on top of the one she'd already laid out. Clarke smiled and opened the picnic basket as her stomach started to grumble. She had only eaten a light lunch, wanting to be sure she was hungry for dinner with her best friend later. Lexa threw a glance over at Clarke and sat down on the edge of the blanket and dug her feet into the sand. Container after container was lifted from the basket and set out on the blanket, and Lexa scrunched her brow as she peeked through the clear sides to see what was inside.

"Clarke," Lexa started, "this is all healthy food."

"I can't help it if all your favorite foods are healthy," Clarke responded with a smile as she reached for the bottle of white wine that she had packed. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?" Lexa asked as she turned to face the blonde who was frantically digging around the inside of the picnic basket.

"I forgot the wine glasses!" she finally said with a frown after confirming that she did in fact forget to pack glasses of any kind.

"Do you have a corkscrew?" Lexa asked. Clarke simply held it up for the brunette to see that she did manage to remember to pack the corkscrew.

"We'll just drink from the bottle then," Lexa said with a smile as she moved over to where Clarke was sitting on her knees still sulking about the forgotten glasses. "It's fine."

A sweet and tender kiss was placed on the blonde's pouting lips as Lexa tried to soothe her mind, knowing that she was probably beating herself up about forgetting one little thing. As far as Lexa was concerned, all she cared about was having Clarke there with her... the rest was just a bonus. With the silent reassurance, Clarke's expression softened and she turned her attention towards the containers of food ready to be opened. Lexa delighted in every new item that came into view, and her stomach started to clench in anticipation of indulging in all of her favorites.

"So how was Raven feeling last night?" Clarke asked as she bit into a perfectly ripened strawberry.

"She was good," Lexa answered through a mouthful of food. "Must be getting stronger because she's constantly moving her legs even when we're sitting."

"Good," Clarke said quickly. "She's been doing well in therapy but still has a lot of pain during certain exercises."

"Yeah, she's strong though. She'll pull through it," Lexa said before taking another big bite of her baguette and brie. The flavors of the meal were exploding over her taste buds, and she was reminded with each bite why she loved all of these foods so much. "This is all so good."

"I'm glad you like it," Clarke said with a smile and a longing look into the brunette's eyes. They remained silently looking at one another for a few moments before Lexa finally spoke.

"So what movie is playing?"

"Hmm?" Clarke asked as she popped another bite of food into her mouth.

"At the park," Lexa clarified.

"Oh!" Clarke said before swallowing the food in her mouth, "Back to the Future." She was a huge fan of the trilogy and knew Lexa was as well. After all they had watched it together a few times over the years.

"I love those movies!" Lexa enthused before taking a swig of wine from the bottle and passing it to Clarke. As she reached for it, the absurd image of two grown women drinking wine straight from the bottle was too much for Clarke to handle and she broke out into a fit of giggles. Lexa caught on quickly to her friend's train of thought and began to laugh along as well, but they both continued to enjoy their food until they were both satisfied.

After Clarke had packed up all of the half-emptied containers, she settled back onto her hands and looked down at the calm ocean waves as they flowed towards the shore. She glanced over to see the brunette staring at her and tilted her head in a silent question. A moment passed between the two before Lexa leaned to her left and fitted their lips together in a slow and meaningful kiss. After a few long seconds had passed, their lips gently separated and Lexa moved her forehead to rest against Clarke's as their eyes remained closed.

"Can I ask you something?" Lexa whispered against the blonde's lips.

"Of course," Clarke quietly responded, waiting patiently for the brunette to continue.

"May I call you my girlfriend?" She asked, still closing her eyes.

Clarke's breath caught in her throat at hearing the soft-spoken request, and her heart clenched in her chest as she did everything in her power not to squeal or scream for joy or do anything equally as stupid to embarrass herself before actually answering the question she had been hoping to answer since their very first kiss.

"You may," was all she could manage through the giant smile threatening to spill off the sides of her face if it decided to get any bigger.

Lexa smiled lightly and felt her own heart flutter as she reached a hand up to cup Clarke's cheek. She could feel the blonde smiling against her palm, and felt herself grinning even bigger than before. She felt Clarke's hand cover her own and finally opened her eyes just in time to see a soft kiss placed into her palm before their fingers intertwined and fell to the blanket. They sat together in silence for long while, watching the ocean with smiles painted on their faces.

Later on at the park, they managed to get about halfway through the movie before it started to sprinkle, so they both quickly decided to ditch the park and head back to Clarke's apartment. It was only seconds after they had both climbed into the safety of Clarke's jeep that the skies opened and the rain poured down at a torrential pace. They laughed to each other, praising their excellent timing, and started on their thirty minute drive back into the city.

* * *

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Lexa asked the blonde with a laugh in her voice. Clarke was practically bouncing down the hallway towards her apartment as she gripped Lexa's hand, trying to urge her along even faster than they were already going.

"I have one last surprise for you," Clarke answered with a bright smile.

"You do?" Lexa asked with peaked interest as she watched her excited friend fumble with her key in the lock for a moment before she was finally able to unlock her door and push it open.

Clarke said nothing as she quickly set the picnic basket down on the floor and all but tore the blankets out of Lexa's arms, dropping them next to the basket. She put her hands on Lexa's hips from behind and guided her to stand in front of the kitchen counter where a frosted white cake dome covering a matching plate was waiting to be unveiled. The brunette's eyebrows knitted together before one quirked upwards, and she tried to suppress a smile as she watched Clarke wring her fingers a few times and bite her lip before reaching up and lifting the dome. What her eyes finally landed on looked like a slightly lop-sided cheesecake with maybe a bit too much blueberry compote spilled over the top and she tried to rationalize how what she was looking at was making her girlfriend so ecstatic.

"I made you a cheesecake," Clarke said triumphantly before letting out a small breath in silent praise.

Lexa's eyes snapped to Clarke's as she tried to understand what the blonde had just said before slowly raking her gaze around the kitchen. Nothing was destroyed, there were no burn marks on the cabinets or suspiciously missing appliances. In fact her kitchen looked cleaner and more put together than it ever has in the past.

"You... made me... a cheesecake?" Lexa repeated as her brain still tried to sort out this surprising information.

"Yes," Clarke eagerly replied through a growing smile. "I wanted to do something special for you because it was your birthday, and I know you love cheesecake. So I made you a cheesecake for your birthday."

Lexa's mouth dropped slightly as a new expression of shock took over her look of confusion. She could hardly believe her ears and continued to stare at the blonde without saying a word.

"Blueberry," Clarke clarified as she gestured to it. "Because it's your favorite."

Lexa looked from the cheesecake and back to Clarke before quickly closing her mouth and clenching her jaw together. She was about to lose herself to a wave of tears prickling behind her eyes before Clarke spoke again in a voice no higher than a whisper.

"Happy Birthday."

Lexa lunged forward and crashed her lips against Clarke's, her hands immediately finding purchase on the blonde's hips before she felt a pair of hands wind themselves into her hair. Their lips moved in a flurry of passion as tongues tangled, teeth clinked, and lips were bitten to promptly be soothed by kisses. Clarke removed her hands from the soft brunette tresses and linked her arms around Lexa's neck as the two began a slow rhythm of purposeful caresses against each other's lips until they were both panting for breath against the other's mouth.

"You're incredible," Lexa breathlessly whispered.

Clarke placed a smiling kiss to her lips.

"You're amazing."

Another kiss.

"And I'm pretty," Clarke added with a wicked smile and a quirked eyebrow. Her expression turned into confusion as she watched the brunette slowly shake her head in disagreement.

"You're absolutely gorgeous, Clarke."

Clarke pulled away just barely an inch and immediately lost herself in the overwhelming expression of emotions spilling out of the swirling green eyes she had grown so fond of over the years. If she wasn't convinced of her love for the brunette before, this was the very moment Clarke was finally able to see it clearly. Her gaze flicked between Lexa's eyes and her lips a few times before she felt her arms fall from Lexa's neck and find her hands. She laced their fingers together softly before tugging them gently just one step towards the hallway leading to the bedroom. When she didn't find any hesitation in Lexa's expression, she let one hand slip from the brunette's and took the lead.

Once they had stepped inside Clarke's room, they turned to face each other in silence for just a moment before Clarke slipped her hand from Lexa's. She softly bit down on the inside of her bottom lip as her hands gripped low onto the sides of her plaid shirt, and she slowly shrugged the soft fabric off her shoulders as Lexa fixed her gaze on the bareness of Clarke's shoulder revealing itself. The brunette looked entranced as she reached out and lightly brushed her fingertips over the newly exposed skin and took a small step forward. Just as Clarke began to reach her arms up to snake them around the brunette's neck, Lexa's eyes caught on the bright white band of gauze circling Clarke's forearm.

"Clarke," Lexa breathed out as concern overwhelmed her voice, "what happened?"

"Cheesecake casualty," was all she said with a shrug of her shoulders and an embarrassed look covering her face. Lexa lifted her arm and turned her head to place a soft kiss on top of the bandage before Clarke spoke again.

"It's okay, Lexa," she reassured the brunette. "I'm fine. I promise."

Lexa looked into the dark blue eyes for another few beats before she offered a simple nod, not wanting to question the assurance. Instead she let her hands fall to the hem of Clarke's shirt before slipping her thumbs and index fingers past the fabric to graze over the blonde's warm skin as she drew the soft black tank top up and over her head. A wave of golden hair cascaded over Clarke's shoulders as she was rid of her shirt before tentative hands reached out to gently untuck Lexa's shirt from her shorts. The brunette's arms straightened up over her own head a second before Clarke inched the fabric over her torso and let it fall haphazardly onto the floor.

Clarke let her hands dance along the tops of Lexa's shoulders as she took a moment to drink in the scent of the brunette and savor the feel of her soft skin under the pads of her fingers as she traced them down over her collarbones and onto her chest. Green eyes were ablaze as Clarke slipped her hands lower, ghosting them over the swells of the brunette's breasts to slide down her sides, hipbones, and over her stomach. She felt the twitch of muscles beneath her hands before she moved them around to Lexa's back and pushed their bodies close enough that she could feel the heat radiating between them.

Their lips connected in a soft embrace, and Lexa moved her hands up to cup the backs of Clarke's upper arms as she felt the blonde's fingers suddenly on the clasp of her bra. She looked up at Clarke in silent consent before the tight material around her breasts slackened and loose straps were gently guided down her arms, over her elbows, and past her fingertips. Her breath hitched in her throat as she watched Clarke's gaze fall from her eyes and rest on her bare chest. Her nipples hardened immediately, tingling with the anticipation of being caressed by palms, fingers, lips or tongue. She had waited for this moment, fantasized about this moment, dreamed about this moment for years. Her chest heaved under the blonde's darkened blue eyes, and the rhythmic pulsating between her legs was managing to get her so riled up that she began to doubt whether she would be able to hold herself up for much longer.

Lexa felt Clarke's thumbs gently tracing the underside of her breasts as her ears honed in on the soft pants falling from the blonde's lips as she drank in the sight in front of her. She wasn't sure whether Clarke was too nervous to move or thinking too hard about what to do first, but she was certain that if something didn't happen soon she might spontaneously combust from the heat of pure unadulterated arousal coursing through her veins. And as if she knew exactly the moment before Lexa was going to explode, Clarke took a step forward and pushed the brunette up against the bedroom door before latching her lips around a dusky pink nipple and sucking it into her mouth.

Lexa let out a strangled moan as she felt the blonde's tongue swirl around her sensitive flesh. What Clarke didn't realize was that when she had pushed herself between Lexa's legs in order to lower her mouth onto the perfectly petite breast in front of her, she had thrust herself hard against Lexa's throbbing clit which had sent a delicious wave of white hot pleasure washing over the brunette's body and threw her mercilessly into the hands of a small but completely unexpected orgasm. Lexa gasped for air as the pleasure flooded through her body, desperately trying to mask the fact that she had just come from the first touch of her girlfriend's lips on her naked skin.

" _Clarke_ ," Lexa moaned as she lifted her right hand to the back of the blonde's head.

She tried to steady her breathing as her orgasm subsided, but she was still turned on to such an embarrassingly intense degree that she was finding the task to be formidable. Her eyes snapped shut as she felt Clarke's lips skip across her chest and begin laving her other nipple with the same attention she'd given the first. Lexa's fingers were still buried deep in long blonde locks, and her heart raced with excitement as she felt the subtle movements of Clarke's head under her hand as she nipped and kissed around her breast.

"Clarke," Lexa said again, this time trying to get the blonde's attention away from her chest and down to where she needed her the most.

When blue eyes finally met green, both women ceased their movement for a few long beats before their lips came crashing together. Clarke lowered her hands to Lexa's shorts and deftly unbuttoned them before drawing down the zipper and pushing them down slender hips. Their mouths tangled together for another few moments while Lexa made quick work of Clarke's shorts and pushed herself off of the door and towards the bed. Clarke fell rather unceremoniously onto the mattress before raking her eyes up the length of her girlfriend's form and reaching forward to pull Lexa down against herself. They both groaned softly at the initial contact, and Lexa lowered her lips back onto Clarke's as she moved herself to straddle each side of Clarke's hips before deepening the kiss.

Another moan bubbled out from deep within Lexa's throat as she felt exploratory hands slide down to cup her backside firmly before kneading the plump flesh with intention. Within the next few seconds, Clarke had managed to seamlessly flip herself over so that she was hovering above the brunette and inching her fingers under the soft white material covering the last bit of Lexa's skin. Lexa lifted her hips as she felt her panties being tugged down and nearly shuddered when the cool air swept between her legs, hitting her slick center in a rush. She was surprised when she felt the soft press of Clarke's lips to the inside of her right knee and trembled in excitement as the kisses rose higher up her leg, onto each of her hipbones, and down the opposite leg before ending at the inside of her left knee.

Lexa grasped at the sheets beneath her as Clarke continued her oral assault up the flat planes of her stomach, her muscles jumping with each brush of lips against her hot skin. She swallowed thickly as thoughts raced through her head wondering how Clarke was _so damn good_ at this until she felt a small nip at her collarbone. Their gaze caught for a moment, and Lexa was awestruck at the devilishly seductive look in Clarke's eyes and the satisfied smirk playing at the ends of her lips. Lexa was a hot mess, writing beneath Clarke like she hadn't been touched in years (which she hadn't), and the look on Clarke's face told Lexa she knew exactly how turned on the brunette was.

"You are so damn sexy when you're turned on," Clarke purred into Lexa's ear.

The sound of Clarke's raspy voice, deep with arousal, was just about enough to send Lexa over the edge again as she angled her head towards the blonde and opened her mouth to speak. But before she could get a single sound out, her lips parted even further and a silent sigh escaped her lungs as she felt soft fingers slowly brush over her clit and into her slick heat. It was almost too much to handle. Lexa's senses were in overdrive as she tried to take in all of the sensations coursing through her body as she felt Clarke's fingers nimbly circle her straining bundle of nerves again and again and again.

Clarke let a quiet moan slip past her lips and skip across the skin down the Lexa's neck as she felt Lexa's legs fall open and her breathing quicken. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she moved her fingers with purpose, not only trying to give her girlfriend the amount and intensity of pleasure she deserved but also to get her quickly to the tipping point so that she could finally witness Lexa coming undone right before her eyes. The sound that tumbled from Lexa's lips as Clarke entered her was a sound Clarke hoped would burn itself in her ears for all eternity. As Clarke started a steady rhythm of thrusting, Lexa's breathing quickly caught up to match pace.

"Clarke," Lexa moaned just before whimpering softly as the pads of Clarke's fingers found _that spot_.

She never knew how pleasurable the act of making love could be until this very moment as Clarke drove the most delightful of sensations through her body with each pass of her fingers, brush of her lips, and nip of her teeth. And if she thought she wouldn't be able to take any more of the pure bliss Clarke was giving, Lexa nearly exploded when she felt Clarke's thumb roughly push against her straining clit. A familiar warming sensation began to pool at the pit of Lexa's stomach, and she closed her eyes and prepared to let the orgasm that was building so fast and so wonderfully crash over her body. Clarke could sense that Lexa was close, and she lowered her eyes to study the expression on the brunette's face. Her eyelids were shut, fluttering with each thrust she received and breath she took, and her neck was straining against silent moans that Clarke was sure she wanted to hear. She let her mouth fall to Lexa's neck, kissing the skin there lightly and feeling the girl's erratic pulse tickle against her lips.

"I want to hear you," Clarke whispered against Lexa's soft skin, and that was what did it.

Lexa came, and she came hard. The sound that ripped itself from Lexa's throat was just about the sexiest, most feminine sound Clarke had ever heard in her life. It stirred in her ears and shot a jolt of electricity down between her own legs while it continued to escape the brunette's lips in a mixture of moans and whimpers as she rode out the longest and most powerful orgasm she'd ever experienced.

"Wow," Lexa finally breathed out as she continued to find her breath. "Oh, wow..."

"Yeah?" Clarke asked as she smiled against Lexa's neck before placing a few light kisses on the flushed skin.

"Oh, yeah. That was... incredible," Lexa responded as her chest continued to heave and her hand came up to rest by the side of her face.

She slowly turned her head to look over at Clarke who was looking back at her with a soft smile on her lips. With a gentle tug to Clarke's hips, Lexa repositioned the blonde so that she was fully on top of Lexa, and their lips began a slow dance against each other. Clarke let herself drown in the sensation of Lexa's hands ghosting along her body, starting high up along the backs of her shoulders, down her sides and past her hips, and finally along the lacy edges at the bottom of her panties. Lexa's mouth was moving almost lazily against the blonde's as she continued to come down from her high, and Clarke was quite content to push and pull the plump lips with her own for a few minutes before their kiss became heated once again.

Clarke moaned into Lexa's mouth as she felt Lexa's fingers climb up her back and thumbs slip under her bra just beneath the clasp. She wasn't sure why, but Clarke found herself leaning back from Lexa and settling herself into a sitting position while straddling the brunette's hips. Lexa immediately chased her lips, moving herself into a similar sitting position under the blonde and connecting their mouths once again. As she felt Clarke's arms reach behind her own back, Lexa moved her lips down the beautiful body in front of her and placed a gentle kiss at the apex of the generous cleavage that was heaving just below her face. Her hands tightened around Clarke's rib cage as she watched the lacy bra fall from Clarke's breasts and be tossed to the floor beside them.

The first touch of Lexa's soft hands on her naked chest sent a breathy moan to escape from Clarke's throat and past her lips as she reveled in each pass and gentle knead of Lexa's fingers. The brunette's name was moaned into the still air around them as Lexa continued to explore each and every inch of the creamy white skin spanning over the large swells of Clarke's magnificent breasts. She always knew they would feel amazing in her hands, but Lexa wasn't at all prepared for how incredible they would look, although she had tried to imagine it more times than she would like to admit. Clarke Griffin was a work of art, and Lexa had her all to herself.

That thought in itself was enough to create a sudden throb start up between her legs, and she grabbed Clarke's hips to flip them over so that Clarke was lying with her back against the mattress. Her lips came down hard on the blonde's, and they both fought for dominance for a few moments before Clarke relented and allowed Lexa to fully take control of the kiss. She felt herself slowly melting under the brunette's touches and nearly shivered in excitement as she felt her panties being drawn down her legs and tossed to the floor. Clarke watched on as Lexa raked her green eyes darkened with arousal up the length of her body, stopping to pause every so often in places she figured the brunette favored.

But all too soon Clarke felt a wave of insecurity wash over her as Lexa's eyes danced across the soft dip of her stomach only to be followed by her fingers a moment later. Clarke was confident with her body, for the most part, but there was no way she couldn't notice how much leaner her girlfriend was and secretly hoped that she was living up to all of Lexa's expectations. Not that she _should_ feel that way, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to know that Lexa found her body attractive not out of obligation, now that they were girlfriends after all, but out of pure desire and love. Clarke's eyebrows knitted together as her mind raced with these thoughts and a thousand others before she heard Lexa's soft voice.

"You're beautiful, Clarke," Lexa whispered as her eyes moved up to meet blue ones starting back at her with a mixed expression of relief and disbelief swirling around in them. She could hardly register the amount of sincerity pouring out from the sparkling green eyes above her, and Clarke could have cried in that moment. How on earth did she get so lucky to have someone so incredible in her life?

Lexa's hands skated down Clarke's sides and circled back up to cup both of her breasts again. They both let out a sigh as each experienced different but pleasurable sensations of purposeful caresses against pliant flesh. Lexa placed her hips to rest in between Clarke's legs and shimmied down the body beneath her to lower her lips onto the soft skin below. She dragged her mouth around the swells of each of Clarke's breasts, placing lingering kisses in her path. When supple lips closed around the tight peak of Clarke's left nipple, she hissed out something along the lines of a strangled moan as her hands found themselves buried deep into Lexa's long brown hair. The carefully-paced movement of Lexa's lips and tongue over the sensitive skin on her breasts had to be the best feeling Clarke had ever experienced. If the brunette could spend her lifetime in this very spot, it wouldn't be something Clarke would argue. Her body was nearing overdrive when Lexa finally slipped her lips away from Clarke's breasts, down her stomach and towards the throbbing between her legs. All thought was lost when she felt a soft kiss pressed to the inside of her right thigh, then her left, before a puff of hot breath slipped past Lexa's lips and danced along Clarke's hot center.

The first swipe of her tongue was magical, the sensation releasing a thousand stars behind Clarke's eyes as she desperately clung to the sheets below her in a vain attempt to ground herself. She felt a hum of approval against her core as Lexa continued to taste her slowly and methodically. The pace that the other girl was setting made Clarke begin to tremble with anticipation, and perhaps a little bit of impatience as well. She could barely contain the gasps spilling from her lips as Lexa's mouth expertly worked her over, finding each and every one of her most sensitive spots and bathing them with attention over and over and over again. It wasn't long before Clarke could feel herself tensing as her orgasm began to build to its brink, and the moment Lexa's teeth just barely grazed over her aching clit before being sucked into her mouth was the very moment that Clarke tipped over the edge. She came with Lexa's name on her lips, her inner muscles fluttering wildly as her orgasm crashed like waves over her body and leaving her breathless in its wake. She continued to try and find her breath as she felt Lexa kissing her way back up her body.

"Mmmm, Happy Birthday to me," Lexa purred into Clarke's ear just before taking her earlobe into her mouth and running her tongue lightly along it. Clarke said nothing in response other than letting out a giggle as Lexa wrapped her arms around her from behind. A few soft kisses to the back of her neck later, Clarke stilled and her breathing evened out. Lexa closed her eyes and smiled into the blonde's neck as she also felt herself slowly slipping away into a peaceful dreamland.

This had surely been the best day ever.


	13. Chapter 13

**** CHAPTER WARNING: The only warning I'll give you all is to say that this chapter is 15k words! I don't know what happened, but it all came pouring out of me like a torrential rain and I was powerless to stop it. So hopefully you all will enjoy this extra-long chapter and be sure to share any comments with me that you have :) ****

Lexa's eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight began to peek around the edges of the curtains in Clarke's bedroom. The first thing that came into focus in her field of vision was a curly lock of golden hair lying gently over her forearm, and Lexa couldn't help but smile. She had spent the perfect evening with Clarke yesterday, but waking up next to her felt even better than she could have ever imagined it could. Knowing that the blonde was likely to sleep for a while longer, Lexa quietly slipped out from under the sheets and hopped out of bed. She pulled on her panties that were lying on the floor from the night before and silently opened one of Clarke's dresser drawers. She grabbed a sweatshirt, shrugged it on, and quietly padded her way into the bathroom down the hall.

As she inspected herself in the mirror, Lexa pulled her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head and swished around a healthy swig of the mouthwash that she knew Clarke kept in the cabinet under the sink before washing her hands and heading out to the kitchen. She smiled instantly when her eyes caught a glimpse of the dome covering the funny-looking blueberry cheesecake that Clarke had made for her the day before, and her heart warmed all over again as she thought about how her best friend, and now girlfriend, had gone to so much trouble to make her birthday so special. She busied herself making coffee for the next several minutes before heading back into Clarke's bedroom with two steaming mugs.

"Good morning," Lexa greeted the blonde who was surprisingly awake and sitting up in bed. The sheets were perfectly straight, and it appeared that Clarke had also primped herself in the bathroom as Lexa had done just moments ago.

"Morning," Clarke rasped as a smile slowly crawled across her lips.

Lexa climbed onto the bed and handed Clarke one of the mugs, which was accepted eagerly by the sleepy girl.

"You put clothes on," Lexa pouted while her eyes wandered over the parts of her girlfriend's body that she could see.

"So did you," Clarke pointed out just before tipping her mug to her lips and taking a small sip. She let her gaze fall to the familiar light blue Columbia University sweatshirt that Lexa had on and smiled fondly at the sight. She'd never told her best friend the story behind that sweatshirt, but it warmed Clarke's heart to see it on her and hoped to see it on her many more times in the future.

"What?" Lexa asked, effectively snapping Clarke out of her train of thoughts.

"What?" Clarke echoed, not knowing what Lexa was referring to.

"You're smiling at me," was all the brunette offered before taking a sip of her own coffee.

"You make me smile," Clarke responded and shrugged her shoulders.

A small blush swept over Lexa's cheeks as she broke eye contact with Clarke and looked down at her mug while idly running her fingertips along the tip ridge of the bumpy ceramic. She had teased Clarke before about these particular mugs, stating that she thought they were 'weird' because it looked like someone had taken a hammer to the soft clay before firing them in the kiln. The color was nice though; the entire surface was painted in a blue gradient starting with deep navy at the bottom before tapering off into what could best be described as a robin's egg color at the top.

"You used the weird mugs," Clarke pointed out before taking another sip of her hot coffee.

"They were the only ones in your cabinet," Lexa said with a shrug. "Your kitchen is practically empty now that Octavia is gone."

"It's not like I need much in there anyways when all of my friends forbid me to cook," Clarke quipped as she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh!" Lexa exclaimed after she gasped slightly. "That reminds me… how is your arm?"

"It's fine," Clarke responded as she looked down at the gauze wrapped around her forearm.

"You didn't hurt it last night... during... while we were..." Lexa stammered before she stopped talking altogether.

"While we were..." Clarke teased as she urged the flustered brunette to finish her sentence.

Lexa sighed loudly before continuing, "while we were... making love."

Clarke cupped her mug with both of her hands and raised it to her face before letting a small string of giggles push past her lips. She was highly amused that she'd gotten the brunette to finish her sentence and even more amused at her formal choice of words. Lexa's lips immediately drew into a pout, clearly embarrassed that Clarke was laughing at her, and she quickly swatted her friend's shoulder.

" _Clarke_!" Lexa huffed as she continued to pout.

"What?" Clarke shot back as she slapped Lexa's shoulder in response.

"You're mean," the brunette grumbled before turning her attention back to her coffee.

" _You're_ mean," Clarke retorted immediately with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"What? How am _I_ mean?" Lexa all but shrieked as she whipped her head to the side to look at her smirking friend.

"You have yet to kiss me since we _made love_ ," Clarke said as she exaggerated the last two words with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Well, how else am I _supposed_ to say it?!" Lexa defended herself. Of course she knew there were other ways to say what she had said, but none of them seemed sincere enough than how she'd ultimately decided on saying it.

"I'm not saying you have to say it in a certain way, I'm just saying that the way you said it was just a very formal way to say it," Clarke quickly rattled off in one breath. Lexa's mouth was slightly agape, and she furrowed her brow as she tried to follow the blonde's ramble.

"What?" She finally asked Clarke, clearly confused by her last statement. Clarke just sighed and opened her mouth to continue.

"Nevermind," Clarke said dismissively, "just know that I'm still waiting on that kiss."

"Well then..." Lexa started as she placed her mug on the bedside table next to her. She moved herself to straddle Clarke before taking the mug out of her hands and setting it on the other bedside table before leaning in close "... prepare to be kissed."

Lexa lowered her lips over her Clarke's and kissed her lightly as she felt hands move up to grip her hips. Their mouths continued to dance slowly over one another until Clarke swiped her tongue along the length of Lexa's bottom lip and slipped her hands up and under the loose sweatshirt. She silently thanked her girlfriend for not putting on a bra as her fingers danced along the soft skin on the sides of her breasts before cupping both of them fully in the palms of her hands. Lexa moaned into their kiss as she arched her back, pushing herself harder into Clarke's touch. Their lips ripped apart when Lexa began rocking her hips into Clarke before the brunette's sweatshirt was tugged over her head and thrown to the floor.

"How am I supposed to keep my hands off of you," Clarke wondered out loud, "now that I've had them all over you."

"I don't know," Lexa breathlessly answered as Clarke continued to caress her breasts, "but it's not something you'll hear me complaining about."

Their lips crashed together once again before clothes were shed and hands wandered across heated skin until both women had completely, thoroughly, and deliciously unraveled under the other's touch. They held each other closely as they came down from their high, feeling completely content in the moment and in each other's arms. Clarke was lying on her back while Lexa was pressed up against her side, tracing light patterns above and below the gauze stretched around Clarke's right forearm.

"We should go get some cheesecake," Clarke suddenly broke the silence.

"Cheesecake for breakfast?" Lexa asked, stilling the movement of her hand against Clarke's skin.

"Why not?" Clarke said with a shrug.

The expression on Lexa's face made it appear like she was thinking hard about whether she actually did want the rich dessert first thing in the morning, but the growl her stomach made shortly thereafter put her indecision to rest. Both girls laughed at the obnoxious sound and slipped out of bed. Clarke dressed herself in a loose shirt and sleeping shorts while Lexa opted for her panties and the soft blue sweatshirt that she had been wearing earlier that morning. After picking up both of their empty mugs, Clarke headed out to the kitchen while Lexa excused herself to the bathroom. As soon as Clarke rounded the corner from the hallway, she heard a knock on her front door.

" _Mom_?!" Clarke asked in shock as she opened the door to reveal her mother standing there with a small smile on her face.

"Morning sweetie," the older doctor said as her smile grew.

"What are... what–what... what are you doing here?" Clarke stuttered as she tightly gripped the two mug handles that were both clasped in her right hand. Abby squinted her eyes in confusion as she listened to her daughter nervously stumble over her words before responding.

"I was on my way to the hospital," Abby started, "and I wanted to check up on you... and see how the burn on your arm was feeling."

"Oh," Clarke said before swallowing thickly. "It's fine. I mean... it feels okay."

"Any additional blistering or signs of infection?" Abby asked slowly as she continued to eye her daughter carefully.

"Nope, I don't think so," Clarke responded as nonchalantly as she could manage, but her mother noticed the strain in her voice immediately.

"Is everything alright, Clarke?" She asked suspiciously. Clarke huffed out a small sigh of frustration, hoping that she could have gotten rid of her mother by now in order to avoid a potentially awkward situation with Lexa still being in her apartment.

"Fine," Clarke replied. "Yep, it's all good."

"Okay... how did the cheesecake turn out?" Abby asked, changing the subject.

"Good... yeah..." Clarke responded while nodding her head rapidly. "I mean, we haven't tried it yet, but it looks good..."

"Weren't you with her yesterday?" Abby inquired, thoroughly confused at Clarke's previous comment. The realization of what she'd just said hit Clarke like a brick wall and her face began to flush, but just when she opened her mouth to respond, Lexa interrupted her as she walked from the hallway and into view.

"Clarke, did you take your– "

Abby's eyes snapped over Clarke's shoulder just in time to meet Lexa's gaze for a split second before the girl jumped back into the hallway in a panic. Unfortunately she wasn't quite fast enough because the older woman had been able to make out that Lexa was dressed in her daughter's Columbia sweatshirt and only a small pair of underwear, presumably walking out of her daughter's bedroom where they had probably just...

Abby shook her head at the thought and looked back over to Clarke, who was bright red and looking more embarrassed than she'd ever seen her before. She tried everything in her power not to look at her daughter with one of the more classic 'judgmental mother' expressions on her face and cleared her throat gently before speaking.

"Hi, Lexa," Abby directed to the girl still hiding in the hallway.

"Good morning, Mrs. Griffin," she heard Lexa respond politely from around the corner. Abby shot Clarke an amused smirk before responding.

"Lexa, I think it's safe to say that we're past formalities, so how about you call me Abby from now on," she said.

"Yep, okay... Abby," Lexa said nervously from behind the wall.

"So I trust you had a nice birthday?" Clarke heard her mother ask to her absolute horror. She lifted her free hand to cover her face that seemed to be getting hotter by the second as her mother stared at her and stifled the laughter threatening to spill from her lips at any second.

"Uh yes, it was very nice. Thank you," Lexa replied. "We had a picnic." The brunette mentally kicked herself for rambling on and fidgeted with the large pill bottle filled with antibiotics that Clarke was taking for her injured arm. She was plastered against the wall with her eyes closed, trying desperately not to allow herself to make this extremely awkward situation any worse than it already was.

"Mom," Clarke warned as she let her hands fall from her face and looked directly at her mother.

"I think Lexa was going to ask if you've been taking your antibiotics," Abby said to Clarke, dismissing the warning spoken to her just seconds ago. "Have you?"

"Well, apparently I'll be taking the next one in a few minutes," Clarke said in an exasperated tone as she gestured to where Lexa was hiding in the hallway and sighed loudly. "After you leave. Please."

"Fine," Abby said as she let another small smirk fall onto her lips.

"Thank you," Clarke breathed out as she motioned for her mother to leave.

"Thanks for taking care of my daughter," Abby called out before catching another look of mortification pass over her daughter's face. Her own cheeks flushed as she realized what she'd said and quickly clarified. "For taking care of her injured arm!"

"You're welcome," Lexa called out before Clarke was all but shoving Abby out the door.

"Bye, Mom," she huffed as the older woman laughed and said goodbye before the door was promptly shut in her face.

 _"Oh, just fucking kill me now,"_ Abby heard Clarke say from the other side of the apartment door.

 _"Why didn't you tell me your mother was here? I was half-naked!"_ Lexa exclaimed.

 _"It's not my fault you decided not to put all of your clothes back on,"_ Clarke quickly replied.

 _"You know it'd be nice for once, just for once, if your mother didn't walk in to see me in a compromising position with you,"_ Lexa said with a slightly louder voice as if she was walking into the kitchen and closer to Clarke. _"I'm sure she hates me now even more than before."_

 _"I already told you that my mother doesn't hate you,"_ Clarke reassured the brunette. _"She once told me that whatever makes me happy, makes her happy."_

Abby smiled hearing this, recalling several different times she'd said that exact phrase to her daughter over the years.

 _"And you make me happy,"_ Clarke continued. _"Really happy."_

There was a small pause of silence before Clarke spoke up again.

 _"And more than that, she loves you. I mean you're kind of a hard person not to like,"_ Clarke finished.

 _"You make me really happy too, Clarke,"_ Abby heard Lexa say. _"Happier than I ever thought I could be."_

There was another longer pause of silence before Abby heard her daughter's voice again.

 _"What about the cheesecake?"_ She asked.

 _"The cheesecake can wait,"_ Lexa replied.

Abby heard what sounded like a squeal from her daughter before another short pause and a soft moan, and she knew that was her cue to finally leave. She quickly pushed herself off the wall and smiled again as she walked down the hallway of Clarke's apartment feeling happy that her daughter had found someone of whom she quite fondly approved. She hoped that Clarke would someday feel about Marcus being in her mother's life as she felt about Lexa being in her daughter's life.

* * *

 _"So... I did it."_

"Did what?" Raven asked as she quirked a brow at the screen of her tablet.

 _"I put in for a transfer."_

"Are you serious?" Raven questioned as her eyes widened.

 _"Yep. I should be getting my approval in a few weeks."_

"A few weeks? Wow... that seems really fast," Raven responded.

 _"Well, I actually put in for the transfer as soon as I got back here... and... sort of didn't tell you guys... because I was nervous. I mean, I didn't want you all to think I'd gotten soft or something."_

"We wouldn't have thought that and you know it," Raven said with confidence. "You're the strongest person I know, Anya."

 _"Oh, you lie, Reyes. You are the strongest person you know."_

"Wait," Raven interrupted, "have you told Lexa yet?"

Anya had known Lexa for far longer than she'd known Raven, so the thought that the soldier had told her before her own best friend was quite surprising.

 _"Not yet."_

"Why are you telling me first then?" Raven asked curiously. She smirked as she watched the usually stoic soldier fidget in her chair and scratch at the back of her neck as she tried to find her words.

 _"Shit, do you think she's going to be mad at me?"_

"Maybe you _are_ going soft, Major," Raven teased through a smile. "Afraid of the big, bad Commander are we?"

 _"Hey, you've never seen her really pissed off. If she really wanted to, Lexa could kick my ass all the way to hell and back."_

Raven just sat back and laughed at the way Anya was getting so worked up.

 _"But I swear if you ever tell her I said that, I will have to kick your ass."_

"You just wait, soldier," Raven interjected. "Once I have two fully functioning legs, I'll be able to kick _your_ ass."

 _"Oh, you think so?"_

"You bet your sweet ass!" Raven exclaimed.

 _"So nice of you to notice, Miss Reyes."_

"Oh, shut up," Raven snapped but couldn't help her cheeks from blushing just the tiniest bit. She could see Anya chuckling from her tablet screen for a while before she responded by simply rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

 _"So Miller says you two have been talking a lot lately."_

"Yeah," Raven confirmed, "it's been awesome to have someone to talk to who has gone through a lot of what I'm going through. He encourages me."

 _"That's great. He really is a great guy."_

"For sure," Raven agreed. "Too bad his boyfriend was such an ass though. Dumping him right after he got shot? That's such a dick move. It just sucks for him to have to go through all that alone."

 _"You're one to talk, Reyes."_

"Eh," Raven said dismissively. "I got my girls... and Lincoln. And Abby. I'm good."

 _"I don't believe you."_

"Just get your nose out of my love life, Carter," Raven quipped.

 _"It's too bad though..."_

"Why?" Raven heard herself ask as her curiosity got the best of her.

 _"Well, I'm sure there would be a few soldiers over here who would love to get in your pants. Maybe even date you."_

"Fuck you, Anya," Raven playfully shot back.

 _"Well, if you're offering... I mean, how could I say no?"_

Raven glared at her friend an threw up her middle finger at the screen just as Abby walked into her hospital room. The older woman chuckled at Raven's action before rounding the bed and looking down at her tablet to see Anya smirking at the feisty brunette.

"Don't get on this one's bad side," Abby warned as she pointed over to Raven.

 _"Oh, I'm not planning on it Dr. Griffin."_

"Yeah, because you know I could kick your ass!" Raven exclaimed with comically wide eyes.

Abby laughed and busied herself looking through Raven's charts as the two girls said goodbye to each other and ended their FaceTime call.

"So you two have been talking a lot lately," Abby pointed out, not looking up from Raven's chart.

"She's just desperate since Lexa is practically fused to Clarke now," Raven replied. This time, Abby looked up from her papers and made eye contact with the brunette who had carefully quirked her brow before speaking again. "You do know that they're dating, right?"

"Mhmm," Abby responded with a nod.

"But you don't approve?" Raven asked.

"No, I love Lexa," the older woman quickly replied. "I think she's perfect for Clarke."

"So why the weirdness, Doc?"

"W–what? There's no weirdness..." Abby weakly said as a faint blush appeared high on her cheeks. Raven narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to say something when she heard a knock on the partially opened door to her hospital room.

"Rae?" Clarke said quietly as she inched the door all the way open.

"Hey," Raven said with a smile as she watched her friend come fully into view. Lexa was following close behind the blonde as they walked into the room, and both girls snapped their attention over to Abby as soon as they'd seen her.

"Clarke, Lexa," Abby slowly greeted both girls as her gaze lingered on them for a moment. Raven watched as Clarke avoided eye contact with her mother while Lexa's gaze seemed to be locked onto Abby out of shock. Or fear. Or something.

"Hello, Dr..." Lexa began to respond but stopped herself and quickly swallowed, "Abby."

Raven's face scrunched in confusion, and she looked to Abby for a response. When no one said anything for a moment, Raven finally spoke up.

"Okay, seriously," she started as she wildly gestured between the three awkward women, "what is this weirdness?"

"There's no weirdness," Clarke echoed her mother's own words as she pushed her fingers through her hair and huffed out a small sigh. Lexa shrugged her shoulders, as if she was agreeing with Clarke but remained silent.

"Well, I was just leaving," Abby finally said as she put Raven's chart down.

"You just got here," Raven said to the older woman as she followed her movements with confusion in her eyes. All she got in response from the surgeon was a wave over her shoulder as she walked away and quickly out the door. Raven looked at her friends who were staring at each other and finally put the pieces together.

"She totally saw you guys making out, didn't she?" Raven asked, assured that this must have been what happened to make the situation she had just witnessed so awkward.

"Ugh, worse..." Clarke groaned as she covered her face with her hands.

"Worse?" Raven questioned.

"I had no pants on," Lexa confessed before her cheeks lit up with an intense blush.

"You _what_?!" Raven slowly exclaimed as both of her eyebrows shot up. She watched as Clarke swatted at Lexa, clearly embarrassed that the brunette had shared that piece of information out loud.

"She walked in on your guys doing it?" Raven screeched as she sat up straighter in her bed. "Wait– more importantly, you guys did it? I mean, you actually did it? _Together_?!"

"Raven, please..." Lexa pleaded with her friend not to make a scene, already thoroughly embarrassed that she had spilled the beans.

" **OH MY GOSH**!" Raven screamed loudly as she clapped her hands in pure and utter delight.

"What is going _on_ in here?" Octavia asked hesitantly as she rounded the corner, walked through the doorway, and into the hospital room.

"Lexa and Clarke had sex!" Raven shouted as she pointed towards her friends and bounced up and down with excitement.

"What?!" Octavia exclaimed as she whipped her body around and stared in shock at her two embarrassed friends.

"RAVEN!" Clarke snapped at her friend as Lexa immediately went to shut the door for some privacy.

"Apparently Lexa jumped Clarke's bones and Abby saw," Raven teased loudly.

"That's _not_ how it happened," Lexa snapped back.

"Confirmation!" Raven cheered as her arms shot up into the air victoriously. "You are so bad at this!" She said while pointing to Lexa.

Clarke turned her head to stare at her girlfriend for a moment before slapping her shoulder again. Octavia laughed as she watched Lexa's mouth drop and her hand move up to cover her arm where she had just been hit. She jumped onto Raven's bed and clasped her hands together on her lap with an open smile on her face, eager to hear as much of this story as she possibly could.

"Guys, listen..." Clarke started as she took a few steps closer to her friends.

"So who tops?" Octavia interrupted.

"What?" Clarke asked in shock as she blinked her eyes rapidly.

"Oh, it's gotta be Lexa," Raven piped up as she nudged her best friend in the ribs.

"No way," Octavia said as she turned her head to look at Raven, "Lexa's a bottom."

"Uh," Lexa spoke up before scoffing lightly, "no I'm not..."

"Clarke, confirmation please?" Octavia directed at the visibly annoyed blonde.

"We're not talking about this," Clarke stated defiantly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Please, Clarke," Raven begged. "My life will not be complete until I know."

"Mine either," Octavia replied as she looked between Clarke and Lexa.

"Well, then you two have very small lives," Clarke quipped as she jutted her head to the side with attitude.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Raven said as she waved her hand back and forth dismissively.

"C'mon, who tops?" Octavia whined. Clarke shot a glance over to Lexa who was looking at her for approval. They both sighed and turned their attention back to their friends.

"I do," they both said at the same time. Raven and Octavia continued staring at their friends as they turned back to look at each other before speaking in unison again. " _I_ do!"

"What? How can you say that?" Clarke questioned her girlfriend.

"What do you mean?" Lexa questioned before leaning in and mumbling softly to Clarke. "What about this morning?"

"Oh, this is so good," Octavia muttered as her gaze flicked between her friends. Clarke shrugged her shoulders at Lexa, obviously disagreeing with her, and Raven snapped her fingers loudly as if some stroke of genius just came to her.

"Service top," Raven blurted out.

"Service top Lexa, power bottom Clarke," Octavia said as she nodded rapidly in agreement with Raven.

"Guys, can we just change the subject please?" Clarke once again pleaded with her friends.

"Alright, alright," Raven said with a roll of her eyes. "So how was it?"

Clarke tipped her head back and sighed loudly as Lexa closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Not the sex part," Raven clarified with a huff, "the date part."

"Yeah, how did the cheesecake turn out?" Octavia asked as she relaxed on the bed next to Raven.

"It was delicious," Lexa answered with a sigh as she stepped forward with a small white paper bag in her hand, "although now I'm wondering why I insisted on bringing you some."

Raven smiled and reached for the bag, which Lexa reluctantly handed over to her. Inside Raven found a clear container that held a rather large piece of cheesecake, a plastic fork, and a napkin. She greedily dug her hands into the bag and pulled out the container as she smiled brightly.

"Because you love me," Raven answered, and Lexa just gave her a half-smirk.

"Oh, that reminds me," Octavia excitedly said as she reached for her phone, "I need to post that picture!"

"What picture?" Lexa asked as she stepped back in-line with where Clarke was standing.

"The one of Clarke's grumpy cat face when Abby was fixing her arm," Octavia said as she tapped on her phone screen before looking over to Raven. "She almost burned it off during the practice run."

"Practice run?" Lexa quietly asked as she looked to Clarke for an explanation.

"Yeah, I... sorta... had Lincoln and Octavia show me how to make a cheesecake on Friday so that I didn't screw up the one for you," Clarke sheepishly answered. Raven grunted out a laugh as she dug into another bite of the dessert, and Lexa's expression immediately softened as she instinctively reached up to lightly trace where she knew the injury was on Clarke's forearm underneath her shirt.

"Ewww!" Octavia loudly drew out as she watched her friends gaze longingly at each other.

"Yeah, get a room!" Raven chimed in with a mouthful of blueberries.

Clarke and Lexa snapped from their haze and stared over at Raven with mischievous looks on their faces and suddenly lunged towards their friends.

"Save the cheesecake!" Raven yelled as she quickly shoved the cheesecake into Octavia's hands.

Octavia sprung to her feet and dodged Lexa a few times before running full force towards the door. Clarke had swiped Raven's pillow out from underneath her and was repeatedly hitting the brunette over the head with it as she screamed.

"Don't hit the cripple! Don't hit the cripple!" Raven loudly pleaded between blows.

Octavia wrenched open the door with Lexa hot on her tail and promptly collided with a seriously worried-looking Abby, which in turn made Lexa come crashing into Octavia from behind. They let out a collected "oompf" and Clarke immediately ceased her feathery assault on Raven. Abby surveyed each of the girls, who had all immediately fallen silent but were breathing heavily. The older woman cocked her eyebrow as Raven looked back at her, her long dark hair completely askew and covering half of her face, and noticed Clarke slowly inching a pillow behind her body as if to hide it from her mother's view. Abby squinted her eyes and took one last look at the girls before speaking slowly.

"I'm positive that everyone here knows what inside voices are," she said and focused her gaze to Octavia and Lexa who were standing quite close to her, "so I suggest you start using them."

There was a motherly clip in Abby's tone as she spoke, but the amused sparkle in her eyes gave her away and the girls immediately lost themselves in a roar of laughter as the older woman turned on her heels and walked away shaking her head and chuckling to herself.

* * *

Lexa straightened the front of her dress for the third time and turned herself back and forth in the reflection of her mirror, making sure that her outfit was complete. She had spent the last two hours getting ready for her firm's big banquet, and she knew that there would be dozens–hundreds of powerful political figures attending who could spot an off-the-rack dress from a hundred yards away. Looking good for clients came with the territory in Lexa's line of work, and it was something that she was naturally good at. Her lithe figure could be flattered by anything from a sharp power suit to a summery sun dress or a fancy full-length gown. She'd opted for a simple black dress that hugged her curves and landed just below her knees. The plunging back line of the dress showed off a large expanse of her flawless skin, and dark brown hair cascaded over her shoulder in loose curls. She opted to show off her most expensive collection of jewelry, a pair of shimmering diamond earrings and a long silver necklace that held a small knot of diamonds at the front.

Another small spritz of hairspray later, Lexa grabbed her purse and headed out the door. As she neared the lobby of her apartment building, thoughts of a certain blonde invaded her mind and Lexa suddenly started to feel the disappointment of not being able to see her until later that evening setting in. She knew Clarke always hated going to banquets as formal as this, which is why she hadn't asked her along to begin with. That and the fact that she had essentially planned out the entire evening before she and Clarke were officially dating. Lexa knew Clarke well enough to know that this evening wouldn't exactly be Clarke's idea of a good time, and the last thing she wanted to do was force her girlfriend into doing something she didn't want to do. Her thoughts were cut short by Lexa's phone vibrating in her hand, and she smiled when she noticed it was Clarke who was calling her.

"Hey," Lexa said through a smile as she pressed her phone to her cheek.

 _"What are you wearing?"_

"Huh?" Lexa asked as she stepped off the curb and situated herself in the backseat of the car that had been sent to her apartment to pick her up. She smiled politely at the driver as he climbed back into his seat after holding the door open for her, and he nodded in response before pulling into traffic.

 _"What are you wearing to your banquet tonight?"_

"Uh, hang on..." Lexa said as she pulled her phone away from her face.

She heard Clarke whine her name through the phone and chuckled to herself as she quickly sent off a picture she'd taken of herself earlier in the evening. She had planned on teasing Clarke with it later, so she made sure to put on her best sultry expression as she looked back at the camera over her shoulder for a shot that showed just how low her dress went in the back.

"I sent you a picture," Lexa said as she pulled the phone back up to her ear. There was a long pause before she finally heard Clarke's voice again.

 _"That's just mean."_

"Why is that mean?" Lexa asked, trying to mask the amusement in her voice.

 _"Because it just makes me want to rip that dress off of you."_

"Which is why I took it," Lexa teased.

Lexa tried to suppress the shivers shooting down her spine, but she was pretty much in a constant state of arousal since the two (incredibly mind-blowing) times they had made love the previous weekend. Six days had passed since Lexa's birthday, and both women were more than eager to spend another night of passion in each other's arms which was proving to be almost impossible with their busy schedules keeping them apart.

 _"Which is why that was mean."_

"Sorry," Lexa apologized. "So what time is your shift over?"

 _"I'm going to stay and help Raven with her physical therapy session, so I'll probably be out of here by eight-thirty... nine at the latest."_

"Can we just skip The Ark and hang out... alone?" Lexa asked softly, not wanting her driver to overhear.

 _"We're meeting Octavia and Lincoln though. They're expecting us."_

"Fine," Lexa said with a huff. "But maybe afterwards... we could spend the night at my place?"

Her voice was small as she made her request, still feeling nervous about being so forward with Clarke about such intimate matters. She was hoping with every ounce of her being that Clarke would agree because quite honestly, she wasn't sure if she could make it another night without feeling that creamy white skin under her fingertips.

 _"You must think you're getting lucky tonight."_

"Can't say I wasn't hoping..." Lexa responded with a smile.

 _"Good because I was hoping the same thing."_

"Glad we're on the same page then," Lexa replied as she pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth.

Her mind was suddenly reeling with images of Clarke, naked and writhing beneath her, and she had to cross her legs a little harder in a vain attempt to soothe the throbbing between them. There was a long moment of silence on both ends of the line, and Lexa wondered if Clarke was thinking about the same things she was.

 _"I, uh... need to go scrub in for my next surgery, but I just wanted to say have fun at the banquet."_

'I can't wait to see you later," Lexa responded quickly, swearing that she could hear the blonde smiling though the phone.

 _"Me too. Bye, Lexa."_

"Bye, Clarke."

Lexa ended the call and carefully slid her phone back into her purse as she sighed heavily. She watched through the tinted windows as buildings passed on either side of the black luxury car, silently grateful that the traffic was flowing faster than it normally did at the time of the day. She pulled out a mirror to check her makeup one last time before leaning back into the soft leather seat.

"I'm Lexa by the way," the brunette offered as she raised her voice to get the attention of the driver.

"Gustus," the large man simply responded. "It's nice to meet you."

"Thank you for taking the time out of your day to drive me to my event this afternoon," Lexa spoke formally, mentally preparing herself for the evening ahead.

Gustus let out a chuckle as he stole a glance at Lexa in his rear-view mirror.

"This is what I get paid for, Miss Woods," he said with a smirk, "but it's certainly a pleasure to drive someone as polite as you."

"I presume you were already briefed on me since you know my last name," Lexa responded as she heard the man use her last name despite ever telling him.

"I was," he answered with a single nod. "I spend more time than most drivers reading through my client notes before appointments. I don't like surprises."

"You sound like a military man," Lexa said after a brief moment of silence and she squinted her eyes slightly as she tried to read the man's expression in small sliver of mirror in front of him.

"You're right," Gustus confirmed. "What gave it away?"

"One of my closest friends is in the military, and she's the same way," Lexa answered. "She lives her life in a constant state of preparation."

"When you're in the field, it's all you can count on. That and the support of your team to back you up when things don't go according to plan," Gustus said.

"You sound just like her," Lexa said as a smile spilled across her lips.

"She must be a smart woman then," Gustus replied with a smile of his own.

"She is," Lexa replied, "but I won't be telling her that any time soon. If her head got any bigger, it would probably fall off of her body."

Gustus's broad shoulders bounced a few times as he laughed and stole another quick glance back to Lexa before speaking.

"So she's incredibly smart, always prepared, and cocky," Gustus rattled off. "Sergeant?"

"Major," Lexa clarified.

"Impressive," Gustus responded as his eyebrows slowly raised, "and I don't impress easily."

"Yes, I'm definitely getting that vibe as well," Lexa joked which earned another small chuckle from the large man.

"Is she who you were speaking to on the phone earlier?" Gustus cautiously asked, not wanting to offend his client with too personal of questions, but Lexa was different than all of his other clients. She was... friendly.

"No," Lexa answered with a small smile and a blush dusting her cheeks. Just as she was about to continue, the car came to a slow stop and Gustus jumped out to open Lexa's door. She offered him a genuine smile as she carefully climbed out of the car, which he reciprocated in kind.

"This must have been the first time you've had a driver," Gustus said with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Was it that obvious?" Lexa asked as she cringed lightly.

"Yes," Gustus stated simply, "but not in a bad way."

"That's comforting, I guess," Lexa responded as she smoothed out her dress and let the anxious expression fall off her face.

"Most of my clients don't even acknowledge my presence, as if they just magically travel from one place to another while keeping their nose glued to their phones or tablets," Gustus said.

"Well, I'm happy to have been a bright spot in your day, Gustus," Lexa replied as she handed him a generous tip.

"Thank you, Miss Woods," Gustus responded as he took the money from her and tipped his head in gratitude. He took a business card out of his front pocket and handed it to the brunette. "Don't hesitate to call me when you're ready to go home. Your firm has hired me as your driver for the remainder of the evening."

"Thank you, Gustus," Lexa said, "but please do me a favor and call me Lexa."

"Have a good evening, Lexa," Gustus offered with a smile.

Lexa smiled triumphantly and turned to head towards the banquet hall.

As she walked away, Lexa couldn't help but feel like she had just spent the last twenty minutes talking to an old friend and smiled as she thought about seeing him later on that evening. She felt a flutter of excitement in her chest as soon as she walked through the large revolving door leading into the fancy hotel lobby, knowing that she was about to spend the next few hours rubbing elbows with the city's most powerful politicians. She never lacked confidence in situations like these, which always worked in her favor.

"Hi, Lexa," Aden greeted his boss with a smile as soon as she walked into the banquet hall.

"Aden," Lexa replied with a smile to match.

She had never seen him look so dapper before, dressed to the nines in a dark grey suit, a printed maroon shirt, and solid black necktie. His hair was perfectly tousled, and his cologne was present but not overpowering. She was proud to call him her assistant and grateful that he carried himself with such ease and certainty in formal situations like these.

"You look very nice," Lexa complimented him.

"As do you," he replied.

"So who's all here?" Lexa asked as she scanned the room for familiar faces.

"It's still a bit early, but the Mayor just arrived with his wife," Aden said as he turned his attention towards the man across the room, "as well as Senator Greene over there. I'm not sure who that is with him, but she's probably a fill-in."

Lexa nodded and looked around the rest of the expansive room to see if she recognized anyone else other than her fellow co-workers and partners of her firm.

"Oh, and Miss Porter is here and was asking for you," Aden said as he looked over to Lexa.

She managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes but couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips at the mention of her most difficult client's name. She looked back at her assistant to see a sympathetic smirk. It was no secret that Eva Porter was a difficult task to handle, which Aden had picked up on from the very first time he'd spoken with her over the phone.

"I can run interference for you, if you'd like," Aden offered with a slightly unsure expression on his face.

"That's alright, Aden," Lexa responded and touched his arm lightly, "but I do appreciate it."

"Okay, just give me a signal if you need me to come rescue you with some work emergency," Aden replied.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lexa said with a small chuckle, impressed at her assistant's resourcefulness.

"Lexa!"

The brunette heard her name called from behind her and knew immediately who the voice belonged to. She slowly turned around but not before plastering her best fake smile on her face that she could manage.

"Miss Porter," Lexa said through her fake smile, "so good to see you."

It was going to be a long night.

After toasts were made, dinner was served, and speeches were presented, the crowd easily transitioned themselves into the more social part of the evening where both lawyers and politicians would come together to feel each other out, impress one another, and attempt to forge new business partnerships. Lexa was good at impressing politicians and political hopefuls, in fact, she was _damn good_ at it. Everything about speaking with these powerful figures came naturally to her, so she was able to carry herself and her conversation with ease for hours on end as if she'd done it a million times before.

"You look beautiful tonight," Eva complimented Lexa as she walked up behind her with two flutes of champagne. She offered one of them to the brunette, who reluctantly accepted it and took a small sip.

"Likewise," Lexa said, deciding it was the best response she could think of that didn't sound too personal but not personal enough.

She was determined, now more than ever, to keep her relationship with Eva strictly professional. They had explicitly spoken about it at the end of one of their meetings a few weeks ago, but it seemed like the political hopeful had completely forgotten everything Lexa had said.

"You threw a decent banquet here tonight," Eva said as she took a sip of her own champagne, "although I personally would have booked the Polis Tower. It's far more luxurious."

"And far more expensive," Lexa replied.

"Is it? I guess I hadn't noticed," Eva said dismissively. "I don't usually pay attention to those types of things. You know what they say about those of us who were born with silver spoons in our mouths..."

Lexa nodded once in response and resisted the urge to gag or roll her eyes. This woman was too much. She spoke about money as if it were the most mundane thing in the world, which to her it probably was. The fact was that Eva Porter _was_ born into wealth and privilege, and she acted as though being a stuck up princess was her birth right.

"Well, if this event goes as planned and we gain more clients with access to those silver spoons, then it's more likely that the next banquet will be held somewhere like Polis Tower," Lexa said with a slight raise of her left eyebrow.

"I would suspect so," Eva replied with a smirk. "But enough shop talk. I was thinking we could spend a little time together this evening getting to know each other on a more... personal level."

The beautiful politician took a step closer to Lexa, who visibly tensed at their close proximity, but this only spurred the other woman as she leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"You are by far the best lawyer I've ever had, Lexa... but... is that all we have to be?" Eva purred. "Business partners? Lawyer and politician?"

The woman was practically whispering as her eyes darted between Lexa's blazing green eyes and her pink pouty lips. Lexa clenched her jaw and swallowed slowly before speaking.

"With all due respect, Miss Porter," Lexa started slowly as she took a step back, "that is all we can be."

"That's a shame," Eva said as she composed herself and took another drink from her champagne flute, "because I have a feeling that you and I will be spending quite a bit of time together in the near future. It couldn't hurt to get... acquainted... with each other a little more intimately."

"Good evening, Miss Porter," Aden suddenly interrupted as he appeared at Lexa's side and extended his hand in greeting. Eva smiled wickedly at the young man and shook his hand while her eyes darted back to Lexa's and watched her quickly swallow a rather large gulp of her champagne.

"Good evening, Aden," Eva replied.

"Did you receive the documents I had sent over earlier this afternoon?" Aden asked, trying to engage the woman in conversation.

"I did," Eva said as she brushed a loose curl away from her eyes. "Unfortunately I was at the spa for most of the day getting ready for this evening, so I didn't have much time to review them. I trust everything is in order regardless."

"Your trust is well placed," Lexa chimed in. "Aden is the most promising young professional I've ever worked with."

Aden couldn't stop himself from blushing slightly at Lexa's comments and averted his eyes from the women for a few seconds.

"Well anyone worthy of Lexa's high praise must be quite exceptional," Eva said to the young man, "so I'm happy to be working with such a competent assistant."

"Speaking of assistants," Aden directs at Eva, "how is it working with your younger brother? I'd imagine it could make for some long days being in such close proximity with one another."

Both women were staring at Aden with their mouths slightly open, surprised and confused by his knowledge of Eva's younger brother being her assistant. Lexa wasn't even aware of this information, and she made it a point of knowing more than most lawyers knew about her clients. Eva blinked a few times and put a smile on her face again before answering.

"Andrew and I rarely work together for that very reason," she explained. "He is... a bit aimless... but my family tries to keep him close knowing that one day he'll inherit part of the business."

Aden nodded his head in understanding and was just about to respond when a voice broke their conversation.

"Eva Porter, I can't believe I am seeing you with my very own eyes," the man beamed as she reached out to shake the young woman's hand.

"Senator Greene," Eva greeted the man with a seductive smile, "it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," he responded before lightly kissing the delicate hand still in his own.

Lexa and Aden shared a look before turning their attention back to the two politicians.

"How is your father?" Senator Greene asked. "The last time I saw him was about five years ago, and I had just handed him his own ass on the golf course that was a few blocks away from a condo building he'd just bought."

"That was the Malibu property, I assume?" Eva said with a laugh.

"It was indeed," the man said through a smile.

"We've since purchased two others in the same area," she continued, "both much larger than the one you're referring to. I actually spent about a year going from penthouse to penthouse in each building before finally buying my own in New York City."

"We'll leave you two to catch up," Lexa interjected, feeling like this was their perfect chance to excuse themselves from the snobby woman.

Assistant and boss quickly turned their backs and walked away, sharing a subtle eye roll and amused smiles as they headed towards the bar.

"How did you know about her younger brother?" Lexa asked her assistant. "I mean, that he worked for her?"

"He's best friends with my new roommate," Aden responded.

Lexa was surprised and lifted her eyebrows as she reacted to what Aden had just told her, but she said nothing other than to nod in response. They both stepped up to the bar, and Lexa traded in her champagne for a club soda which Aden also ordered for himself. He wasn't old enough to drink, and Lexa just wanted to make sure she was both alert and aware during the rest of the evening especially since she would be meeting Clarke later. The brunette's heart fluttered at the mere thought of her girlfriend, and suddenly she was hoping that the rest of the night would go quickly and find herself in Clarke's arms that much sooner.

* * *

"Good evening, Lexa," Gustus greeted the brunette as he held the car door open for her for the second time that day.

"Good evening, Gustus," Lexa replied with a smile before sliding into the backseat.

"How was the banquet?"

"It was successful," Lexa responded.

The truth was that she didn't have an especially riveting time, but the event did serve its purpose. Their firm gained a number of new clients and worked to bolster their image favorably among the powerful politicians who were in attendance, so it was indeed successful.

"Successful," Gustus repeated with a small smile on his face. "Sounds like you need an after party. Something with a bit less... pomp and circumstance."

"I'm meeting a few friends for drinks," Lexa said with a smile now dancing on her lips.

"Friends or friend?" Gustus inquired with a raised brow, "because the way you keep smiling back there makes me think you're meeting someone pretty special."

"Two friends and one who's more than a friend," Lexa said as she locked her gaze with her driver's for a moment. "She's my best friend actually, and we recently started dating. It's been... wonderful. She's amazing."

"Sounds like it," Gustus replied as he turned his focus back onto the road.

Lexa smiled as she lost herself in thoughts of the blonde. She was growing more and more excited each block they passed, knowing that it would only be a short time before they would be together. After she had thought about the state of her apartment, making sure it would be presentable enough if they ended their evening there, thoughts of what she should wear to the club started swirling around in her head. She knew that Clarke would be dressed to impress, it's what she always did when she went out, so she wanted to dress equally as impressive while still being comfortable. Spending hours in heels as high as she was wearing to the banquet was taking a toll on her feet, and Lexa couldn't wait to get home and stick them in the back of her closet until the next fancy event she had to attend.

"Does anyone ever call you Gus?" Lexa wondered out loud after her thoughts had drifted away from outfit-planning.

"Yes," Gustus simply answered, "but then I chop off their left arm, and they no longer call me that."

Lexa lost herself in a fit of laughter as the large man chuckled along as well. The remainder of the drive seemed to pass by almost instantaneously, and the car pulled slowly up to Lexa's apartment building. She remained in her seat until Gustus had walked around the car and opened the back door for her to exit, and and she gave him a large smile when she finally stepped onto the asphalt. She immediately reached into her purse for another tip, but a strong hand came to rest on her forearm which made her look up in surprise.

"You've been more than generous tonight," Gustus said kindly. "Go have fun with your friends."

"I will," Lexa replied as she took her hand out of her purse, "thank you."

"It was my pleasure. Be sure to keep my card and call me if you ever need anything," he said.

Lexa nodded and turned to head into her apartment building. She had managed to make a new friend over the hour they had spent in the car together, and smiled to herself as she pressed the elevator button and ascended to her apartment. It took her about thirty minutes for her to change and tidy up her place before she excitedly made her way back down to the busy streets below. There wasn't really ever a time of day that the big city was quiet from the hustle and bustle of those living in it, but Lexa actually enjoyed the vibe she got whenever she was out in the city. It was like a living, breathing thing that constantly changed with the times, the fads, the people.

The Ark was busy, for lack of a better term, and the buzz of the music seeped into the streets with every opening and closing of the club doors as people were slowly ushered past the large bouncers stationed outside. Lexa had been on the club's short list for years, her presence in the community gaining her an advantage over regular club-goers which was much to the delight of her friends who happily reaped the benefit. She greeted one of the bouncers at the side entrance and rattled off Clarke, Lincoln, and Octavia's names so that they could cut ahead in line as well once they arrived. Lexa looked over her shoulder to quickly scan for her friends before turning around and walking into the club.

"This place looks like a dump," Eva said as she looked through the tinted windows of her limousine as she saw Lexa disappearing through the side door of the club. How her friends knew about this club was beyond her, but she was determined to find a way into Lexa Woods' life and was prepared to use any means possible to get there.

"It's actually pretty nice inside," her friend offered as she dabbed on a bit more lipstick. "They throw a seriously wicked Halloween party every year."

"Hell yes, they do," another voice chimed in from the opposite side of the car. "Give it a chance, Porter."

The obnoxiously wealthy trio made their way out of the limo and towards the side door of the club, knowing that either their names or money would get them past the doors with no waiting, so it didn't surprise any of them when they were given entrance right away. Eva took in her surroundings carefully, noting the bright colors splashing the walls and floor from the moving lights above and the loud thump from the music being pumped through the entire building. She looked through the sea of people to finally catch a view of Lexa sitting at the bar and speaking to the bartender, presumably setting up a tab for the night.

She asked her friends to get her a drink and proceeded to the VIP area. Like at any club, only the richest or most influential people were able to secure the valuable territory of a private seating area, but Eva again had no worries of her abilities to attain such a prized piece of club real estate. Her name dropping, flirting, and obscene tip was enough to do the trick, and she was given the last remaining corner in the club.

"I can hardly believe a woman as beautiful as you is swinging single tonight," a handsome young waiter asked as he stepped into Eva's field of vision.

"I'm here with a couple of friends, but that certainly doesn't mean I'll be leaving with them," Eva flirted back.

"May I get you something to start the night out right then?" the man asked with a smile.

"A bottle of your most expensive champagne to go with whatever my friends bring back to me from the bar," Eva responded with her chin defiantly tipped into the air.

The waiter simply nodded and hurried away, knowing that he was probably in for one hell of a tip at the end of the night. She let her eyes wander back to where she knew Lexa was sitting and watched for a moment as she sipped on what looked like a glass of water. Interesting. It wasn't before long that who she could best describe as a bubbly blonde step up behind the brunette and gently spin her barstool away from the bar. She watched as they smiled at each other before connecting in a slow kiss which made Lexa's hands rise to lightly rest on her waist before sliding around to her back and pulling her in for a hug. They nuzzled into each other's necks for a moment before a tall black man and a petite brunette woman appeared behind them as if they all knew each other and had come to the club together.

"Your Manhattan," the lanky blonde man said as he set the drink down on the table beside Eva and situated himself on the couch next to her. He followed her intense stare across the room and peaked his eyebrows up in interest. "Are you checking out the black guy because, hot damn, he is one fine piece of ass."

"No," Eva replied, sounding distracted as she kept her gaze trained in on Lexa and the blonde.

She was obviously more than a friend if the kiss she'd just witnessed was anything to go by, and Eva shifted her focus to take in all she could from the distance she was at. The woman was was curvy but trim, with large breasts and long blonde hair that seemed to wave and curl in all the right places. She watched as the woman reached for a bottle of beer and take a sip as she continued to talk with her friends. Eva scoffed lightly to herself. She would have never pegged Lexa for dating a trophy girl, but the woman was practically every stereotype rolled into one. There was probably a brain the size of a pea underneath all that pretty blonde hair, and Eva was almost excited to confront the two of them so that she could lay her suspicions to rest.

"I see a friend at the bar," Eva said without tearing her eyes away from the bar. "I'm going to go say hello."

Her friends waved her off and lost themselves in conversation as they scoped the club for any hot singles they might be interested in.

"We must stop running into each other like this," Eva directed at Lexa in a sultry tone of voice as she stepped up behind the blonde who had been captivating Lexa's attention since she arrived.

"Miss Porter," Lexa responded as a small flash of confusion spread over her face. "I... didn't expect to see you here."

Clarke turned around and felt her heart sink as she immediately recognized the woman who was currently smirking at her girlfriend while holding steady eye contact. She chanced a look over to Lexa who shifted from one foot to another, a sign of nervousness that would be missed by most people, but not by Clarke. She eyed the other brunette and remained silent, curious as to where this little encounter was about to go. Eva broke her stare to look over at the blonde and had to stop herself from letting a look of sheer surprise take over her face. The woman was beautiful, more beautiful than she'd first thought, and her bright blue eyes felt as if they were piercing through her own as they held each other's gaze for a few seconds.

"Eva, this is Dr. Clarke Griffin," Lexa finally spoke, "Clarke this is– "

"Eva Porter," Clarke finished as she extended her hand slowly towards the woman.

Eva was momentarily stunned, first at the fact that Lexa had just introduced this beautifully curvaceous blonde woman as doctor and then at the fact that the woman had already known her name. She quickly composed herself before grasping the hand in front of her and shaking lightly.

"My reputation proceeds me?" Eva offered in a half-question, half-statement.

"We were at Columbia for a few years together," Clarke filled her in, "and your reputation proceeded you there as well."

Eva eyed the blonde carefully who was giving her a small glare and noticed Lexa biting her lip in what looked like an attempt not to smile. She pulled her hand away and cocked her head to the side before speaking to Clarke again.

"So Clarke," Eva started, "are you a doctor of medicine or a doctor of philosophy?"

"Medicine," Clarke responded. "I'm a surgeon."

"Impressive," Eva said as she tipped her chin up and pursed her lips in a tight smile. "Brains and beauty... quite like our Lexa over here."

Lexa swallowed nervously and eyed Clarke, afraid of what would come out of her girlfriend's mouth as she took a minuscule, almost unnoticeable, step towards Eva.

" _My_ Lexa," Clarke sternly but calmly said, " _your_ lawyer."

Lexa's eyes shifted back to Eva as they all stood in silence for a few poignant beats.

"Of course," Eva finally surrendered. "I didn't mean to offend."

 _"Didn't mean to offend, my ass" Clarke_ thought but kept her mouth shut.

"It was nice to see you again, Miss Porter," Lexa interjected in a confident tone, "but I should really be getting back to my friends."

"As should I," Eva replied with a smirk and turned around to head back to her exclusive seating area.

Clarke watched as the woman slipped past the crowd and situated herself on a plush sofa across from her two friends before taking a sip of her drink. The blonde had almost snapped the moment she laid eyes on Eva Porter, and her jealousy was fuming. Who does she think she is that she can barge into a conversation like that and shamelessly flirt with Lexa? Her Lexa. Just remembering the woman saying 'our Lexa' made the blonde's blood boil, and she quickly reached for her beer and downed a few healthy swigs.

"Who was that bitch?" Octavia asked as she turned around to face her friends. She and Lincoln had been nearby listening as best as they could to the conversation but not wanting to get in the middle of it.

"She's a client," Lexa said as she cautiously watched her flustered girlfriend take another gulp of her beer and glare into the direction Eva had walked off. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Clarke said, but Lexa knew better. In fact she was a little surprised that Clarke was trying to lie because they both knew neither one of them could lie to the other and get away with it. They knew each other far too well for that.

"Clarke," Lexa warned as she took the bottle out of her girlfriend's hand.

"Let's dance," Clarke said as she looked into concerned green eyes before grabbing Lexa's hand and tugging her towards the dance floor.

They turned to face each other, and Lexa's hands came to rest on Clarke's swaying hips. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments before Clarke's arms came up to wrap around Lexa's neck. The music pounded in their ears and beneath their feet as they moved together to the beat. When Clarke suddenly turned herself around and pressed herself hard into Lexa, the brunette carefully brushed Clarke's long curly hair behind her shoulder and spoke into her ear.

"You don't have to be jealous, Clarke," she said before placing a light kiss on her earlobe.

"Don't I?" Clarke questioned after she turned back around to look into Lexa's eyes.

"Of course not," Lexa answered honestly and hoped that the blonde could see the sincerity in her eyes, but as quickly as she had been dragged onto the dance floor, she was being lead off and into a fairly secluded hallway at the back of the club.

"She said _our_ Lexa. _Our Lexa_ ," Clarke spat out as her eyes widened and threatened to pop right out of her head. "Like who the hell even says that? I'm not going to fucking _share_ you!"

"I wouldn't want you to," Lexa replied with a growing smirk and a laugh about to escape her throat as she watched Clarke exaggerate her movements and get herself even more worked up.

"Lexa!" Clarke snapped when she saw the brunette smiling at her, "you're not supposed to laugh at me when I'm this pissed off!"

"You're not angry, Clarke," Lexa said as she moved in closer to the blonde, "you're jealous."

Clarke let out a dramatic huff and rolled her eyes, a sight that made Lexa want to laugh even more than she already wanted to but managed to stay silent.

"You have to trust me when I say that there is no need to be jealous," Lexa told her as she reached up to cup one of Clarke's cheeks with the palm of her hand. "You're the only person I see in this club. You're the only person I ever see."

Clarke felt her heart flip in her chest, and her eyes returned to their normal size as she flicked her gaze between Lexa's eyes a few times. She brought her hand up to cover Lexa's and sighed.

"I do trust you," she finally said. "I don't trust _her_. She looked like she was ready to pounce on you. What if... what if she..."

"Don't... just..." Lexa interrupted. "You're the most important thing in my life, Clarke. I lo– I need you trust me when I tell you that there's no reason to be jealous."

Clarke's heart nearly stopped as Lexa was talking, almost sure that she was about to confess something more intimate than anything the two had ever said to each other before. She took a deep breath and nodded in understanding, and Lexa leaned in to press a soft kiss on her lips. Clarke instantly melted into the touch and let her hands fall to Lexa's hips and guiding Lexa towards the wall behind her. When her back gently collided with the hard surface, Lexa broke the kiss and looked into her girlfriend's piercing blue eyes.

"So if I _was_ still jealous, I'd probably want to pin you against this wall and show Eva just exactly what I do have that she can't have," Clarke purred into Lexa's ear. "Is that something you would consent to?"

Lexa's heart was racing and her eyes were trained on Clarke's lips as she felt herself nod. A small smile scrolled across Clarke's face before she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the swell of Lexa's bottom lip. The brunette's mouth fell open slightly as she felt hot breath spill across her skin just before Clarke leaned in again and nipped gently at the pouty lip she'd just kissed. A wave of excitement mixed with an alarmingly intense degree of arousal washed through Lexa's body and straight down to the throbbing between her legs, but all thoughts currently firing in her head were lost as she felt lips fully capture hers. They moaned into each other's mouths as both instantly deepened the kiss, craving the feel of their tongues caressing one another and teeth scraping against the other's lips. One of the hands that Clarke had placed on Lexa's hips moved down her left thigh, circled around it to the back, and finally yet ever-so-slowly slipped over the swell of Lexa's ass and squeezed meaningfully. The action made Lexa gasp as she ripped her lips away from Clarke's to look into her eyes.

"Can we get out of here?" Lexa said as she panted for breath.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Eva was sure that Clarke had purposefully been putting on a show for her when she pinned Lexa against the wall, but it was when the blonde snaked her hand around and squeezed Lexa's backside only to drag her out of the club a second later that the young politician's reserve had snapped. She was so used to getting everything and anyone she'd ever wanted, yet Lexa was turning out to be her most difficult prize yet. The more she failed at winning her over, the more motivated she became to try again and try harder until she finally got what she wanted. It was a perverted game she was playing with herself, and this night in particular was the night Eva realized that if she couldn't have Lexa Woods then nobody could.

Eva slipped her hand inside the designer handbag at her side and pulled out her phone. She dialed a familiar number, listened to it ring a few times, and lowered her voice to speak to the person on the other line.

"It's time to call in a favor."

* * *

They burst through the front door of Lexa's apartment in a tangle of limbs as their mouths collided in a passionate kiss. Lexa's fingers were digging into Clarke's hips as she pressed her firmly against the door, and Clarke's hands dove into long brunette locks. She squirmed as Lexa's hands grabbed at her sides and slid roughly over her breasts to squeeze them through her dress, and when a strong thigh came to press hard between her legs Clarke just about lost herself. She'd never felt Lexa's strength like this before, and it was lighting an inferno of desire deep in the pit of her stomach. She had never wanted someone so much in her life, and Lexa seemed to know exactly that.

A desperate moan escaped Clarke's lips as Lexa dropped her right hand from the substantial breast underneath it and hooked her fingers around the back of Clarke's knee to draw it up and around her waist. Clarke arched her back, pressing herself even closer to the brunette as she felt plump lips connect with the hot skin of her neck, kissing, nipping, caressing. As Lexa's hip provided the slightest bit of pressure to alleviate the throbbing between Clarke's legs, another moan was lost into the air around them just before they met in another heated kiss. Lexa slowly slid her hand up the back of Clarke's remarkably smooth thigh higher and higher until she was just about to follow along the curve of her backside when she suddenly realized that Clarke was either wearing a very small pair of panties or nothing at all. Their lips detached with a pop, and Lexa hovered just millimeters away as her breathing seemed to increase the moment her hand began to move again, gliding over her ass until her fingers bumped into a small strip of fabric at her hips.

Lace.

The two stared at each other for a few beats until something of a groan ripped itself from Lexa's chest, and her fingers curled around the top of the lacy underwear and tugged them down her thighs. The leg that Clarke had around Lexa's hip came down with a thump as her heel collided with the door behind her. Lexa took a moment to step out of her shoes, realizing that Clarke had already done so at some point after they had come crashing into her apartment. Their lips connected again, nipping and sucking as they teased each other, and Clarke felt Lexa moving both of her hands under her dress to cup her ass and tenderly knead the plump flesh beneath her fingertips. How it was that Lexa managed to make her burn from the softest of touches was beyond her, but it was certainly nothing that Clarke would be complaining about any time soon.

"Lexa," Clarke moaned into her girlfriend's ear as lips moved to her neck again and hands circled her waist before splaying against the front of her hips.

"Clarke," Lexa said against the blonde's flushed skin before greedy hands were ripping the brunette's shirt up and over her head.

Lexa's heart began to quicken as Clarke's hands wandered down her chest to ghost over her breasts and stomach before they went to work on the button and zipper of her pants, but she managed to pull herself together enough to gently push Clarke's hands away. Just as Clarke was about to protest, Lexa spoke in a deep commanding voice that sent shivers racing through the blonde's body.

"I'm about to show you just how much of a top I can be."

They stood in complete stillness for a few moments, only the sound of heavy breathing as they each anticipated what was coming next. But before Clarke had a chance to say anything, to challenge Lexa, she felt hands reach around the backs of her thighs and hoist her into the air. A surprised gasp flooded Lexa's ears as she felt strong legs instinctively wrap themselves around her waist, and a smirk grew across her lips while she took in the look of absolute shock mixed with absolute desire on her best friend's face. With her hands wedged tightly under Clarke's backside, she stepped away from the wall and effortlessly walked them down the hall and into her bedroom where she was planning to make good on her promise all night long.

* * *

The sound of a bird chirping just outside of Lexa's window is what finally woke her up. As her senses came back to her, she stretched languidly and smiled to herself as she thought about how clichéd this very situation was. It was like something out of a sappy romance movie, but Lexa didn't care. She was in love with a beautiful woman, who happened to be her best friend in the world, and doubted why she'd ever stopped herself from feeling this way before in the first place. The smile on her face quickly faded as her outstretched arm was met with nothing but cold sheets, and she cracked her eyes open to see an empty side of the bed. She reached over to grab a small piece of paper lying on the table opposite her and read it quickly.

 _Lexa,_

 _Thought I could skip my coffee run on the way into work, so I slept in only to find that the only heated beverage you keep in your apartment is tea. I will forgive you when you finally admit to yourself and to me that you are still not, in fact, a top._

 _Clarke xx_

Lexa chuckled as loudly as her sleepy voice would allow and rolled onto her back to read the note a few more times before slipping out of her bed and heading to the bathroom. She admired the faint red mark at the base of her neck in the mirror, remembering vividly when Clarke had bitten down onto the skin there just before she came. The sight of Clarke losing herself in pleasure was a vision in itself and one that Lexa hoped would forever remain in her memory.

After she finished taking a shower, Lexa wrapped herself in a soft white robe and headed into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. Her thoughts drifted back to the note Clarke had left her this morning about only being able to find tea in her apartment, and she made a mental note to buy some coffee the next time she was at the store. If Clarke was going to be staying over more often, then it was definitely something she would need to have on hand. Settling herself on the couch, Lexa took a sip of her steaming beverage and pulled out her phone.

 **Lexa: I wish I could have woken up next to you.**

She waited for a response for a few minutes but when nothing came through, she figured that Clarke was probably in a surgery and couldn't respond. She pushed herself up from the couch and headed back into the bathroom to dry her hair. Lexa had hoped that by the time she had finished getting ready and stopped by her girlfriend's favorite coffee shop, that Clarke would be out of her surgery and able to chat for a few minutes. But even if her timing was off, Lexa wanted to bring her coffee as she still felt bad about not having any in her apartment.

The walk to the coffee shop was pleasant, and the bright sun warming her skin was making Lexa feel even more energized than she was earlier that morning. As she neared the hospital, the smile on her face grew as she thought about seeing Clarke. There was something so appealing about seeing the curvy blonde in her dark blue scrubs and crisp white lab coat. She looked important, she looked powerful, and always dangerously beautiful. Lexa headed towards the nurse's station and smiled at the woman currently standing behind it.

"Good morning, Harper," Lexa said as she stepped up to the counter.

"Morning, Lexa," Harper responded with a wide grin.

"Is Clarke available?" Lexa asked. "I brought her coffee."

"Ah, we all know how she gets when she has to drink hospital coffee..." Harper joked as she scrunched her nose. She looked down to her tablet and scrolled through the day's scheduled surgeries and furrowed her brow. "I actually don't see Clarke down for any surgeries today."

"Really?" Lexa wondered out loud.

"Good morning, Lexa," Abby greeted politely as she walked up behind the brunette.

"Hi, good morning... Abby," Lexa said as her demeanor instantly changed to slight nervousness.

"Clarke went home sick," the older woman said as she handed a medical chart to Harper.

"Oh," Lexa said softly, her face suddenly full of concern. "She didn't tell me..."

"Me either," Abby clarified. "I just heard about it from another attending."

"Alright," Lexa repeated. "Well... maybe I'll just stop by her apartment to make sure she's okay."

"That sounds like a good idea," Abby said as she smiled softly at the brunette.

Lexa bid her goodbyes to Abby and Harper before turning around and heading out of the hospital. She wondered why Clarke hadn't at least texted her that she wasn't feeling well, but nevertheless decided to stop by the store for a few supplies before heading over to the blonde's apartment. She had taken care of Clarke before, both when she was sick and hungover, so she knew exactly what Clarke would want. Soup, crackers, bananas, and ginger ale were piled up into Lexa's shopping basket as she headed into the medicine aisle. She wasn't sure what Clarke had come down with, so she got a little bit of everything before heading towards the checkout lanes. As she passed a display of coffee, she threw a box into her basket to take back to her apartment later. She paid for her items and headed out of the store to make the short walk to Clarke's apartment as quickly as possible.

* * *

 **Lexa: I wish I could have woken up next to you.**

Clarke smiled at the message that popped up on her phone and her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment as she remembered how peaceful Lexa looked this morning as she laid next to her. They had spent the better part of the night getting lost in each other's touches until sleep had finally overtaken both of them. Clarke subconsciously bit her lip and began typing a response only to be interrupted by another text message notification appearing at the top of her screen.

 **Raven: 911**

As soon as she read the emergency text from her friend, her smile immediately faded, and a wave of panic washed over her body as Clarke shoved her phone into the pocket of her lab coat and ran for the elevator. It seemed to be climbing slower than it ever had before, and she all but exploded out of the doors when they finally opened to the floor Raven's hospital room was on. She barged into the quiet room and was immediately greeted by the sight of her friend sitting up in her bed and looking nervous.

"Raven! What's wrong?" Clarke asked as fear crept into her voice. She instinctively put her hands on Raven's left leg and stared at her for an answer.

"Clarke, I..." Raven faltered.

"What happened?" Clarke almost shouted as she lifted the sheet to inspect Raven's leg. "Are you hurt?"

"No, Clarke," Raven replied as she pulled the sheets out of the worried doctor's hands. "Stop."

"You texted me nine-one-one," Clarke said as her eyes remained wide. "What's going on?"

"It's not about me, so just calm down," Raven said as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "It's about you."

"What about me, Raven?" Clarke huffed as she began to settle herself down.

"Have you read anything this morning?" Raven asked with a hesitant voice.

"What?" Clarke questioned. "Read anything? Raven, just stop being so cryptic and tell me what's going on."

Raven swallowed and reached over towards the small table beside her bed. Clarke had never seen her normally easy-going friend looking so nervous in her life, and that in itself was starting to make her worry all over again. She looked at a magazine in Raven's hands and watched as the brunette licked her lips and thumbed through the magazine before slipping her fingertips between two pages and looking up at her.

"So this super annoying nurse, who I've been meaning to talk to you about, woke me up this morning with her loud banging around my room checking who knows what and asked if I needed anything like that would make up for the fact that she woke me up at the ass-crack of dawn or something," Raven rambled. "And since I've been stuck in here for so long, I know that all of the morning shows are crap and I seriously cannot watch another single cartoon for like at least a year..."

Clarke sighed and crossed her arms as she waited for her friend to get to the point.

"Anyways," Raven said as she noticed Clarke's impatience, "I asked her for the new mechanics magazine since I know the hospital has like _a thousand_ magazines to choose from, but she brought me this piece of garbage instead."

Clarke's eyes flicked to the magazine in Raven's lap that she was pointing to with her free hand.

"Raven, you seriously texted me nine-one-one for this?" Clarke interrupted as her agitation got the best of her again.

"Clarke!" Raven yelled. "I'm trying to get to the point of the story!"

"Then get to it!" Clarke responded as her eyes widened again.

"You know I love you," Raven started, "and I would never do or show you anything to intentionally hurt you."

With the change in Raven's tone and the expression on her face, Clarke felt her body tense and she was suddenly dreading whatever her friend was about to tell her. She watched as Raven looked back at her in silence, waiting for a response.

"Yes... I know that..." Clarke finally replied.

"Okay," Raven said as she took a deep breath, "so just don't kill the messenger."

Clarke watched as Raven gently opened the magazine and folded it in half before presenting it with a hesitant look in her eyes. The title of the article read ' **Corruption in the Big City: Work or Play?** ' and was followed by a few columns of text with several candid photos printed at the end of the page. Shocked blue eyes scanned each picture, which all clearly showed Lexa, _her_ Lexa, and Eva Porter at what looked like one hell of a fancy restaurant together, sitting at a table for two, pouring wine, getting ready to leave, and finally an image showing Eva's hands squeezing Lexa's shoulders with what looked like a soothing massage. Clarke swallowed thickly and had to blink her eyes a few times to regain focus before reading the article above.

 _For those of us who are connected even remotely to the political scene know of 27 year old Eva Porter, daughter of business guru and self-made multi-millionaire Edward Porter, as being the newest and hottest city council hopeful running in this term's election. Who many of us may not know yet, but certainly should, is 27 year old Lexa Woods, one of the most renowned rising political attorneys in the tristate area. Her work with mayors, senators, and presidential hopefuls has earned her respect among members in the American Bar Association, but has all of this notoriety gone to her head?_

 _Last Wednesday, Lexa Woods was seen wining and dining her newest client, Eva Porter, at one of the most exclusive and expensive restaurants in the city reportedly purchasing a $400 bottle of wine that they shared throughout the course of the evening. The two were spotted looking quite cozy at their table and were even seen touching intimately at the end of their meal. We're not sure when business meetings started to entail neck massages, but if this is how all political lawyers conduct their "business" then sign us up for president!_

By the time she had finished reading the article, Clarke's mouth was hanging slightly open in astonishment. Pictures don't lie. Clarke had looked at the pictures, studied the pictures, for what seemed like hours, and no matter how hard she tried she saw nothing else but Lexa cheating on her with Eva Porter, world's biggest snob. Her heart bottomed out in her chest as she thought about the conversation she'd just had with Lexa the night before, wondering how on earth her best friend had managed to lie so perfectly and right to her face. She thought she knew Lexa better than this. She thought Lexa _was_ better than this.

"Clarke," Raven spoke softly and snapped the blonde out of her thoughts, "I'm sorry."

"This can't be... this can't be true..." Clarke tried to rationalize as she shook her head from side to side. "She wouldn't do this... not to me..."

"I was shocked when I saw it too," Raven admitted quietly. Lexa had always been such a strong presence in the group, and it was hard for either of them to believe that this was something she'd actually do. But pictures don't lie.

"Clarke..." Raven started but was interrupted by the blonde.

"Look, Raven... I– I need to go," she stammered as she clutched the magazine in her hands and headed towards the door.

"Talk to her!" Raven called out as her friend walked through the door and into the hallway.

Each step Clarke took felt like she was walking in a sea of honey. Her feet felt heavy like they were sticking to the floor as she made her way to the employee locker rooms. She felt a wave of nausea wash through her stomach as she slumped down onto the bench near her locker. How could this be happening?

"Clarke?" Wells asked tentatively as he carefully took in the blonde's facial expressions. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"What? Oh..." Clarke stuttered. "No. I'm not okay. I actually... I think I'm getting sick... would you mind letting the chief know I'm going home?"

"Yeah, no problem," he said as he nodded. "Just... take care of yourself."

Clarke swallowed and nodded shallowly but said nothing in return. She quickly gathered her things from her locker and headed out to her truck. The drive home went by in a blur, and by the time Clarke had made it to her apartment she could barely remember how she'd gotten there. She pushed herself through her front door and turned around promptly to close and lock it. Clarke spent the next hour pacing, re-reading the article, and studying the pictures over and over again until her phone suddenly sounded with a text message notification.

 **Lincoln: O and I just saw the article, and it's bullshit.**

Clarke rolled her eyes. Of course Raven would tell Octavia and Lincoln about the article the second she'd run out of the room. It wasn't that she didn't want her friends to know her business, but did they seriously have to know all of her business? She sighed heavily and turned her attention back to her phone as another text message came in.

 **Lincoln: Lexa was at the gym with me until almost 7pm that night, plus she would never do this to you. I don't know what this article is, but it's bullshit. Just remember that.**

 **Lincoln: Octavia says we love you.**

A smile threatened to appear on Clarke's lips until a soft knocking on her door startled her, making her stomach flip anxiously as she dropped her phone onto the couch.

 _"Clarke?"_

Her heart slammed against her chest as she instantly recognized Lexa's voice. It was soft and laced with concern, evident even though the thick wooden door at the front of her apartment. From the other side, Lexa leaned her head slightly closer to the door to listen for any movement before knocking softly three more times in quick succession.

"Clarke?"

* * *

 **So... I hope that Abby didn't come off as a creep lingering in the hallway of Clarke's apartment. I just really wanted a chance for her to hear Clarke and Lexa talking freely about their relationship so that she could begin to understand how serious it had actually become over the last couple of months. Oh, and Gustus! I was so excited that I found a way to write him into the story, as I really loved his character on the show. Hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did :)**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	14. Chapter 14

**** CHAPTER WARNING: NSFW ****

 _"Clarke?"_

What was she doing here? Clarke looked frantically around her apartment as if she was trying to find an escape route until she heard three more soft knocks followed by her name again. She set the magazine on her coffee table and turned to _attempt to_ walk silently into the kitchen but banged her toes into the hard piece of furniture with a loud thud.

"Dammit!" Clarke let out in a harsh whisper. She silently chastised herself and looked toward the door, wanting to know if Lexa had heard her or not. She honestly wasn't sure if she was ready to confront her best friend about what she'd just seen in the magazine Raven had given to her, so she stayed as quiet as she could.

 _"Clarke, what's going on?"_ She heard Lexa quietly ask from the other side of the door.

She cringed at the fact that the brunette had clearly heard her and knew that she was in fact home, so she walked up to the door and stood about three feet away from it and waited to hear if Lexa would continue knocking.

 _"Clarke?"_

Clarke took a deep breath, wiped away a couple of errant tears below her eyes, and willed her voice to speak.

"Yeah?" She asked as her voice cracked.

 _"Can I come in?"_

There was a long pause as Clarke tried to think of how to respond, still not knowing whether she wanted the brunette to come inside.

 _"Your mother told me that you were sick..."_

Another pause.

 _"Look, I don't care if you get me sick if that's what you're worried about... I just... I want to take care of you."_

Clarke's heart nearly shattered at the pleading words spoken to her through the door, and she tried everything in her power _not_ to want to let Lexa in. But as if her feet had a mind of their own, she found herself walking carefully towards the door and placing her hand on the knob. She took a deep breath, letting it slip out of her lungs slowly, before unlocking the door and opening it. The expression on Lexa's face changed from confusion to worry in an instant as she noticed Clarke's red-rimmed watery eyes.

"Clarke, what's wrong?" Lexa asked softly as her eyes rapidly assessed every inch of Clarke's face. "Are you crying?"

That question alone made Clarke turn her head away from Lexa's prying eyes, and she walked towards the kitchen. Lexa moved cautiously as she stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind her. The shopping bags of medicine and illness-appropriate food were deposited on the kitchen counter before Lexa stepped towards Clarke and reached out to her.

"What's going on?" She pleaded as one hand found a soft blushed cheek and the other found Clarke's left wrist.

Glistening blue eyes flicked between green ones for several long moments while Lexa remained silent, waiting for Clarke to say something –anything– that would help explain why she was acting the way she was acting. Clarke struggled to maintain her composure before finally finding her voice.

"I was working a late shift at the hospital last Wednesday," Clarke managed to croak out before pausing for a few seconds, "where were you that night?"

"What?" Lexa asked, more confused than ever. "W–why..."

"Just answer the question please," Clarke said in a whisper as tears pooled in her eyes again.

Lexa blinked a few times as she tried to remember what she had done after work that day. She wasn't sure why Clarke was asking, but she was more than willing to answer any questions her girlfriend would ever ask of her.

"I..." Lexa started as she began to recall her evening, "I went to the gym with Lincoln."

"And after that?" Clarke asked before she swallowed thickly.

"I went home," Lexa answered honestly. "I read for a little while and then went to bed."

Clarke remained silent but nodded lightly a few times. She wanted to believe Lexa. She wanted to believe her so badly, but the pictures and the article she'd just spent an hour studying were telling her otherwise. Lexa could have easily met Eva for a later dinner after she'd left the gym at seven o'clock, which is when Lincoln said they had left together, but Clarke still wasn't sure what she believed at this point. Lexa sensed the internal battle that was raging in the blonde's head and let her hand fall from Clarke's cheek.

"Why are you asking me this?" Lexa asked carefully, her voice still full of concern.

Clarke said nothing and turned to walk into the living room. Lexa slipped off her shoes and followed her every move, coming to a stop when Clarke leaned over the coffee table to pick up what looked like a trashy paparazzi magazine. She watched as the blonde turned to a section of the magazine that looked like it had been held open for quite some time and folded the page back before it was handed over to her. Lexa took it carefully and read the title of the article, which made her eyebrows furrow in confusion. Bewildered green eyes wandered down the page until they spotted the pictures at the bottom, and suddenly Lexa's breath was caught in her throat. She had never seen pictures of herself in a magazine before, but there they were as clear as day, and showed her with another woman who just so happened to be her newest and most infuriating client, Eva Porter.

"What is–" Lexa asked herself as she tried to understand how on earth these pictures ever came to be.

Her eyes flew back up to the article, and she scanned the words quickly as she slowly started putting the pieces together. She couldn't believe the twisted truths contained within the article, each seemingly worse than the next, and it managed to paint an awful picture of her that she wasn't quite sure how to defend. She looked up into troubled blue eyes again, and her heart nearly broke. Clarke's bottom lip was quivering as her jaw clenched repeatedly as if at any second she would drown herself in a sea of her own tears.

"Clarke, I know this sounds cliché, but this isn't what it looks like," Lexa desperately said as she shook her head back and forth. Clarke scoffed as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You told me less than twenty-four hours ago that I had nothing to worry about," Clarke started, "that I had no reason to be jealous, and then **BAM** pictures of you and her are splattered across a magazine the very next morning. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I'm sorry, Clarke. I had no idea someone would be taking pictures of us," Lexa tried to explain before motioning to the pictures in the article. "This was like our third meeting ever and the last one we had at a restaurant. She kept manipulating Aden into scheduling them at restaurants even though I prefer to have them in my office, so I was forced to start scheduling our meetings myself."

"Explain these pictures to me then," Clarke said as she rested her finger on top of the magazine. "Why is she giving you a massage, and did you honestly buy a _four hundred dollar_ bottle of wine?"

"Can we... sit down?" Lexa asked softly as she motioned to the couch. Clarke said nothing but quickly plopped herself down on the cushions as Lexa sat down beside her. "I'd just done an insane workout session a few days before this meeting, and I was still really sore from it..."

Clarke rolled her eyes at Lexa's words, expecting to hear that she had 'innocently' asked another woman to massage her shoulders because they were sore, as it would be exactly the type of lame excuse that she was used to hearing from some of her exes. She didn't say anything though and let the brunette continue.

"Apparently I had been rolling my shoulders toward the end of the meeting, which was probably partially from the soreness and partially from my frustration at how strained the evening had been, and she tried to massage my shoulders after I'd stood up from reaching for my purse," Lexa continued. "I told her right away that it was inappropriate, and she told me she understood."

That all made sense to Clarke, but she still wasn't fully satisfied with the explanation so she waited for Lexa to continue.

"I _did_ have to buy a four hundred dollar bottle of wine because she had ordered it for what I would assume was yet another way to flaunt her wealth in front of me that night, and I felt like I had no choice but to cover the entire tab," Lexa explained. "She's my client, and it was a business meeting. Normally I'd put any business dinner on the firm's credit card but knew I'd get ripped a new one if I charged that ridiculously expensive bottle of wine on it... not to mention the implications it might cause on our company's tax filings next year."

This also made sense to Clarke, but something about the timeline wasn't adding up in her mind.

"You said this was your third meeting?" Clarke questioned.

Lexa silently counted in her head and confirmed that, yes, these pictures were taken on their third meeting.

"Yes," Lexa simply said.

"The article says this happened last Wednesday," Clarke said as she pointed to the magazine. "Like as in three days ago."

"I'm telling you, Clarke, this was our _third_ meeting," Lexa replied calmly. "It was the... Tuesday before my birthday."

Clarke worried her brow and looked down at her hands in her lap as her fingers fidgeted against one another. Even if that was true, how could she know for sure? Pictures didn't lie... did they? The battle between trusting Lexa and trusting the pictures was raging on in her head, and she sat in silence as Lexa looked down at the magazine once again.

"Look, that's my old briefcase," the brunette said as she pointed at one of the pictures and held it over for Clarke to see, "I don't even have it anymore. I donated it after you guys bought me the new one for my birthday."

Relief started to crack its way into Clarke's mind as her eyes raked over the images for the last time, and she flicked her gaze back up to meet sorrowful green eyes looking back at her. They didn't break eye contact as Lexa spoke her next words.

"Clarke, this is just a trashy magazine," she began. "and they can say whatever they want to try and get a juicy story. Maybe I should have told you all of this right away, I don't know... we hadn't even gone on our first date yet when this happened... then in the weeks to follow, I sort of just lost myself in our time together and nothing before that really mattered to me anymore because all I could think about was you, and when I could see you next, and when I could kiss you next..."

Lexa stopped herself as her cheeks began to flush, feeling suddenly shy after what she'd just said but not denying that it was the truth. Clarke noticed her embarrassment and let a small smile grace her lips, which Lexa's eyes trained onto immediately. A tentative hand raised to Lexa's cheek, and Lexa covered it with her own hand as she looked into Clarke's eyes again.

"You mean so much to me, Clarke... and I'm so sorry," Lexa softly spoke.

Neither woman spoke another word as Clarke leaned forward to press a soft kiss onto the pouty lips she had grown to love so much. She felt Lexa's breath hitch in her chest at the contact before breathing a sigh of relief as their lips realigned to deepen the kiss just slightly. Clarke's hand fell from the brunette, and Lexa moved to immediately cradle the pale cheeks in the palms of her hands as they continued their kiss for another few seconds. Lexa separated her lips from Clarke's slowly before placing another chaste peck on them as she whispered into the silence.

"I'm sorry."

Another peck.

"I'm sorry."

Another peck.

"It's okay, Lexa," Clarke said against her girlfriends lips. "I forgive you. It was... just a... very weird misunderstanding."

"I should have done a better job showing you that I can be trusted," Lexa replied as her gaze fell from the blonde's.

"No," Clarke argued, "I should have trusted you in the first place. I know you'd never try to hurt me like that."

Lexa shook her head no.

"Plus you know that I'd kick your ass if you ever _did_ do something like that," Clarke lightly teased.

Lexa nodded her head yes.

They held eye contact for a few moments before Lexa raised her hand to gently brush a few stray hairs from Clarke's eyes. Lexa's eyes intently followed the path of her fingers as they tucked the golden lock behind Clarke's ear, traced lightly down her jawline, and over her bottom lip. She felt her heart clench in her chest as the words 'I love you' washed through her mind over and over again, and her cheeks flushed when she realized Clarke was staring at her and probably wondering what the brunette was doing. Lexa let her hand drop, and a shy smile appeared across her face as she fidgeted with the bottom hem of her shirt.

"I'm hungry," Clarke finally broke the silence.

"I could make us something," Lexa offered quietly.

"I don't have any food," the blonde replied with a sigh.

"I bought you some soup," Lexa said as she remembered the grocery bags she had set on the counter just a few moments ago.

"Okay," Clarke said as she nodded her head a few times and made a move to stand.

Lexa followed, and the walked into the kitchen together. They both took a few deep breaths as they went, thankful that their first fight was over and dealt with, but were still a little more quiet than normal. Clarke looked through the bags, noting about six cans of soup and wide range of boxes and bottles of medicine. She quirked her brow at Lexa in a silent question before the brunette spoke up.

"I thought you were sick," Lexa said with a slightly unsure expression on her face.

"So you bought the entire medicine aisle?" Clarke lightly joked.

"Well, I didn't know what you were sick with," Lexa started, "so I just got a bit of everything."

They exchanged small smiles before Clarke raised her arms to wrap around Lexa's shoulders in a grateful embrace. Lexa quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Clarke's waist, and the two stood hugging in silence for what felt like hours. When they finally separated, Lexa felt Clarke's fingers wipe a tear from her cheek that she didn't even realized she had cried.

"We're good," Clarke reassured, and Lexa nodded.

They pulled out the cans of soup, and Lexa busied herself opening two of them, pouring the contents into the only sauce pan the blonde owned, and beginning to warm it over the burner on Clarke's stove top. Clarke poured them each a glass of ginger ale and brought a sleeve of crackers to the dining room table. They ate slowly, stealing glances at each other and making small talk until they had finished all of their soup and cleaned up their mess.

The rest of the afternoon went by at a leisurely pace. They lounged in each other's arms and watched whatever they could find on TV, neither of them paying much attention to it anyways. They were happy just to be together, to be close, and they'd barely noticed when the day had slipped into night. Lexa was fading in and out of sleep as she lay nuzzled into Clarke's side with her head on the blonde's chest until she felt movement beside her. Green eyes fluttered open to meet piercing blue ones for a few silent seconds until Clarke finally spoke.

"Stay with me tonight?"

Lexa said nothing but nodded her head in consent before lowering her lips onto the soft skin just below Clarke's chin. She continued to gently press her lips against Clarke's neck before Clarke tilted her head down and captured the brunette's lips with her own. Lexa sighed into the kiss as Clarke wound her hand into dark brunette locks before tracing Lexa's bottom lip with her tongue. Their kiss immediately deepened, and their lips continued to move against each other slowly and with purpose. They broke apart after a few minutes and looked at each other for a moment in silence, just content to be close to the other.

Their eyelids grew heavy, and Clarke stood from the couch before extending her hand to Lexa. With fingers entwined, they shuffled into Clarke's bedroom and readied themselves for bed. Clarke slipped under the covers, quickly followed by Lexa, and she felt Lexa's arms come around to rest tightly around her waist.

"Goodnight," Clarke whispered before she closed her eyes and felt a feather-light kiss on the back of her neck.

"Goodnight."

* * *

"Ow! Dammit, Lexa!"

"Just hold still..."

"I'm _holding_ still!"

"Clearly you're not or I wouldn't have elbowed you."

"Well, _clearly_ I should have picked someone else to help me!"

"Calm down, Octavia," Clarke reprimanded her friend from outside the dressing room.

"She just jammed her elbow into my eye!" Octavia countered loudly. "Why didn't you warn me that your girlfriend was so clumsy?"

Clarke opened her mouth to respond, but the bride-to-be cut her off again.

"She's a hazard to my health!" She said as she raised her voice. "I'll probably have a black eye tomorrow!"

Clarke and Raven shared an eye roll before they heard Lexa pipe up again from inside the dressing room.

"Well, good thing your wedding isn't tomorrow then," Lexa quipped.

Clarke and Raven heard the sound of a hand against skin followed by a scoff before hearing the exact same pair of sounds as their two friends traded slaps to the arm. Clarke chuckled as she tried to picture what was happening between her two friends in the dressing room while the continued to bicker. Raven was thumbing through one of the bridal magazines that were scattered throughout the luxurious changing room, folding down the corners of pages with pictures of wedding dresses that she thought her best friend would like.

"Any fucking day now, you guys," Raven sighed as she dropped the magazine into her lap.

Lexa burst out of the dressing room in a huff as she pushed away a few pieces of hair that had fallen from her loose bun. She eyed Clarke, who seemed to know exactly what the brunette was thinking, and let a small giggle slip past her lips. Octavia quickly followed her out of the small room, modeling her third wedding dress of the day. Raven's jaw dropped when she saw her best friend come fully into view, and Clarke heard herself let out a small gasp.

The dress was made of fine silk and perfectly hugged her waist, hips, and legs before gently flaring wide at the bottom into a modest train that trailed about six inches on the floor behind her. The dress bunched delicately around the shoulder straps and scooped down in a wave of loose fabric at the neckline. As the brunette stepped onto the small platform surrounded by mirrors, she turned her back to her friends to reveal a low cut back that plunged down to the base of her spine. The reflection in the mirror held no secrets as it showed Octavia grinning from ear to ear while she thoroughly studied herself.

"That's the one," Clarke said as her eyes trailed the length of her friend standing in the mirror.

"Holy shit, O," Raven chimed in. "That's totally the one."

"Yep," Octavia agreed, "it's the one."

Despite the squabble Lexa had just had with Octavia as she helped her friend into her dress, she was smiling widely as she watched Octavia turn around in the mirrors again and again as she admired the beauty of the fabric, the way it hung and clung to her, and the delicateness of the silk beneath her fingertips. Clarke bounced up from her chair and walked over beside Octavia and began admiring it even closer, and Lexa could honestly say that she had never seen her friend look more beautiful than she did at this moment.

"You look beautiful, Octavia," Lexa said as she smiled brighter than before.

"As long as I don't wind up with a black eye on the day of my wedding," Octavia teased as he looked over at Lexa with a smirk.

"You're the one who–" Lexa began to fight back.

"Enough, you two," Clarke interrupted. "You'd think you were both twelve years old by the way you bicker."

"She started it!" Octavia exclaimed as she thrust her index finger towards Lexa.

" _You're_ the one who–"

"Stop it!" Raven yelled over Lexa's voice. "You're ruining my day pass."

Lexa snapped her mouth shut, and Octavia let out a defeated sigh as they both set their bickering aside. Raven had been granted a 12 hour pass from the hospital, which required her to ride in a wheelchair and be accompanied by a nurse at all times. Since Clarke was a doctor, she fit the bill and then some, so the four friends had scheduled a dress fitting for Octavia and Lincoln's upcoming wedding so that they could all be together and give their opinions on each of the dresses she tried on. Lexa was volunteered as the official dress helper since she was the tallest in the group, but it turned out that Lexa and Octavia were awkward and clumsy together which was making the trying on process much harder than it should have been.

"So what are you thinking for shoes?" Clarke asked, changing the subject.

"Something elegant and classy," Octavia responded immediately as she ran her fingertips along the soft silk clinging around her hips.

"Open toe?" Raven asked as she slowly wheeled herself over towards the part of the store that displayed all of the shoes.

"Yeah, and something with a substantial heel," Octavia replied. "I don't want Lincoln to have to stoop for the kiss."

"What do you think we are, miracle workers?" Raven called out from across the dress shop.

"If anyone could be, it'd be you, Rae," Clarke said with a smile as she looked up at Lexa.

Lexa sat down onto the couch with her girlfriend, immediately moving her hand up to Clarke's back to begin softly tracing large patterns with her fingertips over the fabric of her shirt. Clarke smiled and sighed happily, signaling to Lexa that she was enjoyed the feeling of her light touches, and she closed her eyes as Lexa continued. A little while later, Clarke reached over and found Lexa's bare knee, lightly caressing the skin she found there and delighting in the way that Lexa's breath began to hitch the higher her fingers grazed.

"What are you doing tonight?" Lexa asked quietly as she watched Clarke open her eyes and turn her head to look at her.

"Well, I was hoping I'd be naked and wrapped up in your arms for the better part of it," Clarke husked out, sending shivers through Lexa body to settle unsteadily between her legs.

"I think that could be arranged," Lexa replied just before swallowing hard as she tried to wet her suddenly dry throat.

"We might need some food after," Clarke said softly.

"After?" Lexa questioned. "Not before?"

"I plan on taking you the minute we step into your apartment," Clarke said quietly, "that is unless you'd rather we stop to make dinner first."

Lexa quickly shook her head no, and Clarke let a smirk dance across her lips as she slowly brushed her fingers along the inside of the brunette's thigh before squeezing her thigh softly. Lexa's eyes immediately darkened as they fell to Clarke's lips before the blonde leaned in close.

"I can't wait to see you under me," she whispered into Lexa's ear before lightly scraping her teeth along the soft skin of her earlobe and pulling away slowly to stand and walk over towards Raven.

Her mouth hung open and the throbbing between her legs only intensified as she heard Clarke's words and watched as the blonde stood and walked away with the sway in her hips the slightest bit exaggerated. Lexa swallowed again as she fought the blush creeping up her chest, but she realized she was apparently unsuccessful when she heard Octavia let out a small chuckle as she studied Lexa's flustered expression from the reflection in the mirror. Lexa cleared her throat lightly and fidgeted in her seat a few times before she pulled out her phone and stood to take a picture of Octavia in her wedding dress.

"Don't post that anywhere," Octavia warned. "I don't want Lincoln to see it before the wedding."

"Got it," Lexa simply stated as she nodded her head in understanding.

"Send it to me though," Octavia quickly added before turning around to admire herself some more.

"Raven found you the perfect pair of shoes," Clarke announced as she pushed her friend's wheelchair over to where Octavia was standing.

"I cannot _wait_ to see you fall on your ass trying to walk in these," Raven said as she handed them to her best friend with a smirk.

"Love you too, Rae," Octavia quipped and took the shoes to inspect them carefully.

They were beautiful, made from the same fine silk of her dress, and they were dangerously high heeled. The bride-to-be herself wasn't sure if she had ever tried on shoes quite as high as these before, but they were an absolute perfect match to her dress so she bent over to slip them on anyways. Lexa's hand came out to steady Octavia while Clarke and Raven watched. As soon as both shoes were on, all four girls knew, without a doubt, that they were looking at what Octavia would be wearing on her wedding day.

A few giggles were heard as they excitedly chatted among each other before Lexa pulled up her phone once again to snap a few more pictures. Raven stood up from her wheelchair and, with the help of Clarke, limped her way over to her best friend's side to pose for a picture with her. She circled her arms around Octavia's waist and smiled brightly when she felt a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight. Clarke and Lexa also got a picture with Octavia, and one of the employees at the dress shop took a picture of all four of them together in memory of this special occasion.

 **Clarke: Octavia looks absolutely stunning in her wedding dress.**

 **Clarke: You are one lucky man, my man.**

 **Lincoln: I know. I've got the real deal.**

"What's got you so smiley?" Octavia asked as she stepped off the platform and away from the mirrors.

"Just texting your fiancé," Clarke replied as she slid her phone back into her purse.

"Giving him the 'best friend' speech?" Octavia questioned.

"No, that's Raven's job," Clarke said as she eyed Raven.

"Already done," Raven stated nonchalantly.

"Oh man, how badly did you threaten him?" Octavia asked wearily as she glared at her friend.

"I just told him that if he hurt you, I'd hurt him," Raven shrugged.

All three girls stared at the brunette in the wheelchair and waited for her to continue.

"In the form of Clarke having to stitch his nads back together," Raven finished.

"Ew!" Clarke screamed as Lexa and Octavia burst into laughter. "I don't want to be anywhere _near_ your fiancé's nads."

"That's fine with me," Octavia laughed as she headed back into the dressing room with Lexa.

"You're disgusting," Clarke said to Raven.

"Hey, it got the point across," Raven said as she shrugged her shoulders again. "It got it across _real good_."

" **OUCH**!" Lexa shrieked from inside the dressing room. "You stepped on my foot!"

"Yeah payback's a bitch, isn't it?" Octavia quipped before everyone except Lexa burst into laughter.

* * *

"Home sweet home!" Raven announced as Octavia pushed her wheelchair into her apartment.

It had been over three weeks since she'd been in her apartment, and it felt so wonderful to be back. Everything was in its place, with the addition of a large stack of junk mail and a few of her monthly magazines piled up on her kitchen counter. Why she hadn't asked her friends to bring them to her in the hospital was a mystery, but she didn't dwell on it for too long before scanning her place a few more times. The dark maroon pillows were propped into the corners of her couch just as she had left them, the bookcase full of her University textbooks and mechanic manuals looked to have been dusted, and she even caught a whiff of her favorite room fragrance wafting through the air from the diffuser plugged into her wall outlet.

"Wait," Raven finally broke the silence as she rolled herself slowly towards the plant sitting on the small table beside her couch, "this isn't my plant..."

Octavia shifted nervously as Raven looked back to her with a slight glare in her eyes. She had been in charge of getting Raven's mail and watering Raven's plants except that she had forgotten to water Raven's plants. The young mechanic was so finicky about her greenery that Octavia had sent herself into a panic when she realized that she had killed the thriving philodendron beside her couch and decided to pull the old 'goldfish trick' and purchased a new plant to inconspicuously take the place of the original, now deceased, plant. But just like any normal plant lover (if there even was such a thing), Raven had noticed the differences immediately much to the dismay of her forgetful friend.

"I forgot to water it and also forgot to close your curtains, so it got all dried up and the sunlight burned the leaves," Octavia suddenly started rattling off without taking a breath, "and I felt awful that I killed your favorite plant, so I bought you a new one that was bigger with more leaves and put it in the same pot in the same place and hoped you wouldn't notice the difference."

Raven stared at her flustered friend for a moment before letting a soft chuckle escape her lips as she shook her head in amusement. The sound made Octavia visibly loosen, and she took a deep breath to calm herself back down as Raven began to wheel herself towards her bedroom. They had brought back some of her clothes she'd had at the hospital to exchange them for some new outfits for the last week or two that she would be spending there. It was helpful for Raven to have nurses and doctors around her 24/7 during her recovery, but _damn_ was she missing her privacy and being back in her own apartment. The two girls made quick work of gathering everything Raven had wanted to bring with her and headed back out.

"So... do you have a date for my wedding?" Octavia asked cautiously as she pushed Raven out of the front door and turned around to lock up behind them.

"No," was all Raven responded.

"Do you _want_ a date for my wedding?" Octavia prodded.

"No," Raven repeated.

"What if I set you up with someone?" Octavia asked as she wheeled her friend down the hallway.

"I'd have to pass," Raven said with a roll of her eyes. Of course Octavia was trying to set her up. When wasn't she?

"Come _on_ , Raven!" Octavia whined as they entered the elevator and began to descend.

"I love you, but no means no," Raven snapped for the final time. "Jeez, did this elevator break or something? It's going so damn slow!"

"If you don't stop being so salty, I'm going to push the emergency stop button and trap you in here with me," Octavia threatened her best friend as she hovered her finger over the bright red button.

Raven shot the girl a glare but kept her mouth shut.

"I just want you to have a good time," Octavia told her friend.

"And I can't have a good time with my friends?" Raven asked as she cocked one of her eyebrows. "I can only have a good time if I have a date? A pity date?"

"It's not a pity date," Octavia replied.

"Whatever," Raven said dismissively.

A momentary silence filled the small elevator as they both watched the floor numbers dwindle on the display above. Octavia was just trying to make sure Raven had the best time at her wedding possible, knowing that there could be a small chance that her best friend wouldn't be able to stand on her feet for too long let alone walk or dance. If Raven had a date, Octavia figured that she wouldn't feel so left out if she needed to sit during the reception. The standing brunette let out a huff and spoke again.

"There's plenty of guys at my work who would love to–"

"Are you just worried that I'm going to bring down the party or something?" Raven interrupted.

"What?" Octavia asked, thoroughly shocked and confused.

"You just don't want to have to feel obligated to sit with me if I'm not walking by then so you shove a date at me instead?" Raven said as her irritation boiled under her skin.

"Are you kidding me with this?" Octavia asked with a noticeable tone of disappointment in her voice.

"No one is going to want to spend their evening babysitting me..." Raven began but was promptly cut off.

"No one feels like they would be babysitting you, Raven," Octavia said.

"That's where you're wrong," Raven replied. "Anyone would feel that way towards someone with so much baggage."

"You don't have baggage," Octavia said while shaking her head.

"Look at this!" Raven yelled as she pointed to the wheelchair she was currently sitting in. "This is giant baggage!"

"It's temporary," Octavia responded as she moved her hands to her hips. "You're healing."

"I'm broken!" Raven yelled back, but this time her voice cracked over the last word. "I'm broken, Octavia, I'm just... fucking... _broken_!"

Octavia reached for the emergency stop button and pressed it quickly, jerking the elevator to an abrupt halt about two floors away from their final destination. She grit her teeth and bent her knees to balance herself on her heels as she leaned in close to her friend's face and let out the deep breath she had just taken. Raven's hands clasped in her lap, and Octavia raised her own hand to cradle Raven's cheek.

"You... are _not_ broken," she said as she stared into her best friend's eyes. Her heart tugged in her chest as she saw Raven's bottom lip quiver just once and tears beginning to gather along the bottom ridge of her eyelids.

"I feel broken," Raven whispered as a single tear escaped her eye and slid down to be brushed away by Octavia's fingers. "I don't even feel like myself anymore."

"You will," Octavia said in a voice just barely above a whisper. "You just have to give yourself time. Enough time to heal. You've never been a burden to us before, and you're not a burden to us now, but you can't snap at everyone who offers to help you."

Raven remained silent as she flicked her eyes back and forth between her best friend's and began to feel her chest lighten at her sincere words.

"Look, maybe you _don't_ need a date. Fine. But don't assume I'm trying to pawn you off on someone else at every turn," Octavia continued. "You're my best friend, and I would never, **ever** , trade you for anything else in this world."

A few tears were blinked from Raven's eyes as she nodded her head in understanding before she felt Octavia's strong arms wrap around her neck. She quickly brought up her own arms to reciprocate the hug and breathed a sigh of relief into her friend's neck as they held each other for a long moment.

"Even though you're _so_ fucking _stubborn_ ," Octavia added as she pulled away from their embrace.

"Watch it, or I'll have to find myself a new best friend," Raven teased as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"You barely managed to find one best friend who can deal with you, good luck finding another one who can take your shit," Octavia quipped, at which Raven laughed.

"Right back at you," Raven replied dryly.

Octavia playfully shoved at Raven's shoulder, and Raven immediately returned the gesture to Octavia's hip as she stood. They remained silent as the emergency button was released, and the elevator began its descent once again.

"I love you," Octavia broke the silence as she stared ahead.

"I love you too," Raven replied after a beat.

* * *

Clarke and Lexa walked hand-in-hand down the hallway towards Lexa's apartment. After a successful outing at the dress shop and a leisurely lunch at one of their favorite restaurants, the girls had parted ways for the remainder of the evening. Raven wanted to spend as much of her day pass out and about as possible, so Octavia agreed to take her best friend back to her apartment to check on a few things before spending the rest of the day chatting in a park near the hospital. Just being outside in the fresh air helped to rejuvenate Raven after spending day after day stuck inside the sterile walls.

Clarke had asked if Lexa would mind stopping by her apartment so that she could pack up an overnight bag, knowing that she would be spending the night at Lexa's since the brunette had such an early morning the following day. After Clarke packed up everything she needed, they left and headed to Lexa's apartment. Their hands remained entwined as they stepped into the welcoming space, while Lexa closed and locked the front door behind her, and during the entire walk Clarke lead towards the bedroom. The brunette's heart was racing from the moment they'd walked into her apartment and was only growing faster with each step they took.

Their fingers finally separated, and Clarke's hands immediately found purchase on either side of Lexa's hips. She pressed against Lexa's hips gently and guided her slowly backwards toward the bed in the middle of the room. As the backs of her knees connected with the edge of the mattress, Lexa's lips parted in anticipation and her eyes darkened when she felt Clarke slowly slide her hands under her shirt. She gripped the bottom hem and tugged the fabric up and over Lexa's head, their steady gaze only interrupted during the second the shirt covered Lexa's face before it was dropped to the floor.

Nimble fingers slipped just past the waistline of Lexa's shorts before quickly popping the button open and sliding the zipper down. The brunette stifled a gasp that rose from her chest as she felt Clarke's fingertips graze down the smooth skin on her thighs while drawing her denim shorts down until they fell to a heap at Lexa's ankles. Clarke bit her lip as she carefully grasped the bottom of her own shirt before gracefully pulling it over her head and letting it flutter down to the floor beside her. Lexa's eyes trained to the lip being held captive between a perfect set of pearly white teeth until her gaze lowered to Clarke's hands flicking open the button on her own pants. She slowly pushed the fabric down while rolling her hips in the way she knew drove Lexa crazy before stepping out of her pants altogether and moving startlingly close into Lexa's space.

Soft hands grazed slowly over Lexa's thighs again before sweeping around the tickle over the swell of her ass. Her breath hitched as she felt Clarke hook the top of her fingers around her panties and tug lightly at the lacy fabric. Their lips hovered just millimeters away from each other as Clarke traced her way back up Lexa's bare behind, slowly up her back, and finally under the heavy clasp of her bra. It wasn't a second later that Lexa felt herself completely naked and being gently guided down onto the bed. With a few quick flicks of her fingers, Clarke rid herself of her own bra and panties before lowering herself towards the bed. She would have groaned from the feeling of Clarke's skin against hers as Clarke settled herself fully onto the brunette, but insistent lips landed on top of hers the moment the two had connected.

Her chest ached with the breathy moan trapped inside of it, and Lexa could barely think while Clarke confidently invaded her mouth with her velvety tongue as it caressed, explored, teased until Lexa was a whimpering mess below her. Small dark spots popped along Lexa's field of vision as she finally expelled an embarrassingly needy moan once Clarke had moved her lips down to the smooth skin of her neck. If she wasn't so desperate for air, she would have felt Clarke smiling against her skin as she continued her gentle assault on the brunette's throat.

When she finally gained enough brain function to move her arms, Lexa lifted her hands to rest on either side of Clarke's waist. Her fingers dug into the pliant flesh there as Clarke's lips descended farther down Lexa's chest at an agonizingly slow pace. A sharp hiss of breath against teeth sounded in the quiet room the moment Clarke drew a hardened nipple into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it in lazy circles. She desperately wanted to plunge her fingers into Clarke's messy golden locks to feel each and every subtle movement of Clarke's head beneath her hands, but she kept them where were were and patiently accepted all of the delicious sensations the blonde was managing to pump through her body with her easy movements.

Clarke kissed the valley between Lexa's breasts before moving to her other nipple to give it the same attention, and her hand began to carefully explore the brunette's stomach, hips, and sides. Lexa squirmed under her touch and let her hands fall to the sheets when Clarke began a new journey with her lips, kissing her way around petite breasts, across the dips and arcs of her rib cage, and down the smooth skin stretched across her flat stomach. Lexa held her breath and closed her eyes as she felt Clarke place a lingering kiss on the sensitive skin just above her mound, thinking that she was about to feel Clarke's tongue against her for the first time, but she was surprised when her lips were being captured instead in a kiss just as slow and meaningful as the previous ones they'd just shared.

Their lips suddenly separated and the two held eye contact as Clarke lowered her left hand and slipped two fingers through Lexa's slick heat in a teasing swipe. Lexa drew in a long breath as Clarke took the brunette's right hand in her own and guided it slowly between their bodies. Lexa remained unmoving as Clarke lowered her face to be within an inch of her own, their hands still entwined.

"It turns me on... when I turn you on..." Clarke whispered before pushing Lexa's fingers between her legs to show her just how turned on she really was.

Lexa's breath caught in her throat as she felt Clarke's wetness against her fingers and instinctively searched for the tight bundle of nerves she knew was eager for her touch. Clarke's words echoed in her head and she thanked whatever was responsible for Clarke being _so damn good_ at talking dirty because it was lighting her body on fire as each word was spoken. Lexa's left hand came up to rest on Clarke's hip and she stared in awe at the blonde beauty in front of her as a subtle rocking of hips against her fingers spurred her on.

Lips crashed eagerly against each other this time, and Lexa quickly slipped two fingers into Clarke who gasped loudly before quickly moving to straddle the girl under her to gain better leverage. Lexa licked her lips and watched wide-eyed as Clarke moved herself up into a sitting position and began rocking her hips faster with each thrust of fingers. A moan tumbled from her lips as slender fingers curled inside of her, and Lexa heard herself echo the sound just a fraction of a second later. Her body pulsated as she let her eyes rake down Clarke's naked form, stopping to admire her breasts as they bounced lightly with each of her movements. She swallowed thickly as she watched Clarke's hips roll in time with her thrusts, and her hand moved up to grip Clarke's waist to keep the girl steady on top of her.

As Clarke's orgasm began to surface, she brought her gaze down to meet Lexa's and the two stared wordlessly at each other as they continued to move in perfect harmony. Moans and breathy sighs fell from both of their mouths as Clarke increased the pace of her hips, urging Lexa to match. She did so willingly and raised her left hand to cup one of Clarke's breasts, kneading it softly before brushing her thumb over the straining nipple a few times. Lexa could barely contain her own heightened arousal as she witnessed Clarke's mouth drop open for a moment before she tipped her chin towards the ceiling and arched her back, letting out the most delicious sound Lexa had ever heard as she came hard around her fingers.

They each helped Clarke ride out the lingering waves of her orgasm, holding steady contact as Clarke's breathing returned to normal while Lexa's remained ragged. The brunette was so incredibly turned on from everything she had just witnessed above her that she wasn't altogether convinced Clarke would even need to touch her to bring her to orgasm. And before she knew what was happening, she felt her fingers slip from warmth as a mass of blonde hair disappeared from her sight. Lexa dropped her gaze down just in time to see Clarke look up at her with a devilish look in her eyes before she moved in to swipe a broad stroke up the length of Lexa's center.

The air within her lungs felt as if it had instantaneously turned into a white hot molten lava at the first touch of Clarke's tongue, and her hands moved on their own accord as they wove themselves deep into blonde curls. Lexa couldn't be sure, but it seemed as though she was only expelling a steady rhythm of breath and never taking any back in as each swipe of Clarke's tongue against her left her more breathless than before. An intense heaviness was settling alarmingly fast in the brunette's lower abdomen, and all bets were off the second she felt swollen lips close around her clit. Lexa groaned loudly and fell silent for a few long seconds before another, much louder, groan ripped through her chest as the full force of her orgasm came crashing down around her. Clarke continued in her pursuit as she kept pace with her tongue, tasting every ounce the brunette was willing to give.

After Lexa's moans had finally turned into breathy gasps, Clarke began to kiss her way up the shuddering body beneath her, slowing in certain spots and stopping altogether in others for another several minutes until her lips rested gently over the erratic pulse point beating under the skin on Lexa's neck. She nuzzled there for a moment before she let her lips stretch into a wide smile.

"Wow," Clarke whispered.

"I'm the one who should be saying that," Lexa replied breathlessly. "That was..."

"That was..." Clarke urged when the end of the sentence never came.

"Incredible," Lexa finally decided on. "You are so sexy."

Lexa swallowed and a deep crimson blush broke out over her cheeks at her own words, and Clarke thought it was probably the most endearing sight she'd ever witnessed. They stayed wrapped up in each other's arms for a few minutes as they allowed themselves to come down from their high and allowed their breathing to return to normal. Lexa lifted her hand to gently trace over Clarke's lips before drawing her in for a chaste kiss. She felt the warm cheek under the palm of her hand tighten as Clarke smiled at the sound of the brunette's grumbling stomach, which had effectively ruined the moment. Lexa smiled lightly in response before she moved her fingertips down Clarke's jaw and off her chin before quietly speaking.

"We should probably eat something," Lexa said as her stomach made another small noise.

"Mmm," Clarke purred as she cocked a lone eyebrow.

"Dinner," Lexa quickly clarified though she couldn't stop the blush from creeping up her cheeks and heating the tops of her ears at Clarke's suggestive response.

"You're probably right," Clarke conceded. "I don't want you falling asleep at your desk tomorrow from lack of sustenance."

Lexa just smiled as Clarke lifted one of her hands and raised to her perfectly pink lips for a kiss before throwing the sheets from her body and slipping out of bed. She enjoyed the view for a moment as she watched Clarke search the bedroom floor for her clothes, each of them throwing knowing looks and smiles at one another. They both opted for comfort as they pulled on their lounging clothes, and Lexa headed to the kitchen as Clarke was slipping on a pair of fuzzy socks.

She knew she had enough ingredients for several of Clarke's favorite meals but decided on a chicken and pasta dish that was the quickest to make. It was something she had thrown together once when her friends had shown up at her apartment unexpectedly, and it was an instant hit. Lexa smiled as Clarke lazily walked into her view from the hallway towards the kitchen.

"I would offer to help but..." Clarke started, "for your safety and mine, it's probably not advised to entrust me with anything sharp or pointy."

"How are you even a surgeon?" Lexa asked through a playful smirk.

"Oh, that whole surgeon thing is just a ruse," Clarke teased as she waived her hand in the air dismissively. "I just wanted to impress you to get into your pants."

"You went through med school, a year of residency, and paraded around your mother's hospital posing as a surgeon just to get into my pants?" Lexa asked, thoroughly amused with their current exchange.

"First of all," Clarke started, "it's not my mother's hospital."

She stepped up to stand within a foot of the brunette before she continued.

"Second of all, don't use the word mother and the phrase into my pants in the same sentence ever again," Clarke warned, at which Lexa just laughed.

"And third of all," she said as she leaned close to rest her hands on Lexa's waist, "I can't say it wouldn't be worth it."

"So romantic," Lexa quipped before leaning in to place a small kiss on Clarke's waiting lips.

"Hey, I can be romantic," Clarke defended herself with a small pinch to Lexa's side. "I sent you flowers on your birthday."

"That was very romantic," Lexa agreed with a nod before her lips were being kissed gently.

They continued to kiss languidly as Lexa's arms came around to circle Clarke's neck. Lexa's fingers danced through the soft hair at the base of Clarke's head until she felt a moan fill her mouth in the most delicious way possible. A soft tongue glided along the length of Lexa's bottom lip, seeking permission that was immediately granted. As they lost themselves in their kiss, it was Lexa's turn to allow a small moan fill the blonde's ears as their lips continued their dance with one another. The moment Lexa felt a strong grab at her side, she squeaked and ripped her lips from Clarke's as she flinched from the sensation of being tickled. She immediately created distance between herself and Clarke, who was smiling wickedly at her.

"You're so mean," Lexa spat, though Clarke knew it was all in good fun.

"And you're cute when you're tickled," Clarke replied with another smirk before walking over to where Lexa kept her wine glasses and pulling two from the cabinet.

Lexa huffed in disapproval before turning her attention back to the task at hand. She laid out everything she would need to make dinner before washing her hands and filling a large pot with water in which to cook the pasta. Clarke poured them each a glass of wine and commented on how much she loved the meal Lexa was preparing before she found a seat on the bar stool at the counter and watched Lexa effortlessly move around the kitchen. They chatted until dinner had been prepared and found themselves seated closely together at Lexa's small dining room table as they ate until they were full.

Clarke insisted on cleaning up since Lexa had done all of the cooking, and when she was finished in the kitchen she found Lexa lying on her couch with a book in her lap reading contentedly. Clarke said nothing as she lifted Lexa's feet into her lap before sitting down on the opposite side of the couch and turning on the TV quietly as to not disturb Lexa's reading. She found something appealing enough to watch before starting a gentle massage of Lexa's right foot. They shared a smile before turning their attention back to their mediums for the remainder of the night.

* * *

The walk to her office seemed to drag on far longer than normal, and Lexa couldn't help but wish she was back in the comfort of her own bed with Clarke's arms wrapped around her just as she had found herself this morning. Each time that they lost themselves in the other's intimate touches drew Lexa's heart further from herself and closer to Clarke, and she knew it was only a matter of time before the blonde would have her entirely. Maybe she already did. The thought drove a spark through Lexa's chest, and her head felt like it was swimming as she tried to discern all of the emotions bubbling inside of her every time she thought about Clarke.

Love hadn't come easy to Lexa, and she honestly thought it never would let alone with the intensity that her relationship with Clarke brought. She would be lying if she said it didn't make her the slightest bit nervous, feeling like one tiny slip could end not only the most exciting relationship but also the most meaningful friendship she'd ever had in one fell swoop. It was a dichotomy between taking baby steps to preserve the fragility of the recent changes to their dynamic and taking giant leaps that felt so natural due to the cultivation of their deep friendship over the years, and Lexa found herself often feeling both thrilled and terrified at the same time.

She quickened her pace as she felt small raindrops beginning to fall from the sky, not wanting the moisture to ruin her hair for the rest of the day. The lights in her office were already on, as she had expected they would be, and a familiar face greeted her as soon as she stepped through the door. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt with a matching tie and black slacks this morning, looking more professional than ever but with the slightest look of fatigue in his eyes.

"Good morning, Lexa," Aden said through a smile.

"Good morning, Aden," Lexa replied as she ran her fingers lightly through her hair. "How was your weekend?"

"It was good," Aden responded immediately. "I was up a bit late on Saturday, but I think I managed to sleep it off yesterday."

"Those late nights will do that to you," Lexa said with a knowing smile, "though I think you're still a bit young to be having _too_ much fun."

"Well, my idea of a late night of fun consists of pizza and far too many video games," Aden clarified. "Though my roommate has a few friends who like to... party... hard."

Lexa laughed as Aden struggled with his words, trying not to offend his boss but still get his point across. He allowed a relieved expression wash over his face before Lexa spoke again.

"Hopefully these _friends_ don't end up having a bad influence on you," Lexa told her assistant as she walked towards her office. "I'd hate to see your work suffer from a hangover."

"I assure you, Lexa, you don't need to worry about that," Aden told her as he straightened his back proudly.

Lexa smiled and nodded before turning to her office and walking inside. She smiled at Aden as he brought her in a fresh cup of coffee before hurrying back to his desk to begin his work for the day. Lexa unlocked the computer on her desk with her password and immediately opened her appointment calendar to see what she had scheduled for the week. It was going to be a busy few days of meetings, but the one meeting she was least looking forward to was the one scheduled with Eva Porter. She hadn't spoken to her client about the magazine article since she'd seen it herself, and it was going to be a strange topic to bring up even though she knew it must be done.

There was something gnawing inside of Lexa that made her think if Eva hadn't already have seen the article that she might actually be pleased about it. She had all but thrown herself at the brunette over the last several weeks after becoming her client, and Lexa still wasn't too sure about how to keep the other woman off her trail. It was almost like she was playing some kind of game, knowing what she can't have only making her want it even more. But there was still a fine line in the sand because Eva _was_ still a client, and Lexa _did_ have a job to do.

As the hours ticked by, the stacks of files on her desk rose until it was getting hard to keep her papers from sliding in different directions off of their piles. She was eternally grateful for the job security her position within the firm afforded her, but she often felt overwhelmed with the amount of work she had to get through each day even with the aid of an assistant. She nibbled at her lunch over the course of another few hours, wondering if Clarke had rummaged through her fridge this morning for her own lunch before heading off to her shift at the hospital. It had momentarily crossed her mind to make her girlfriend a lunch at the same time she was putting her own together, but ultimately she decided against it.

"Lexa?" Aden called softly from her office doorway, causing the brunette to look up from her work. "I'm going to head out."

"Is it that time already?" Lexa asked as she glanced at the clock on her wall.

"Yes, unless there is something else you need me to do before I leave?" Aden asked, ever willing to stay late to help. He was a little hesitant with his offer this time, which lead Lexa to believe that he had somewhere to be.

"Not at all," Lexa replied quickly. "Have a good evening, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too," Aden said with a smile and backed out of her office.

Aden fidgeted lightly with the strap of his messenger bag lying tightly across his chest as he began his moderate walk to a small coffee shop just a few blocks outside of the main hustle and bustle of the city. A swell of trepidation bloomed in his chest as his steps grew quicker, and his palms began to sweat. He had never done anything like this before, and to say he was nervous was the understatement of the year. The first and only time they had spoken was over the phone, and they were both quite hesitant towards the other at first. But the more information that was passed between the two of them, the more necessary their meeting seemed.

He pushed the door open and quickly scanned the room, noting that he was the first of the two to arrive. After ordering a chai tea and finding a secluded table in the back corner of the coffee shop, Aden tried to calm himself once again. He tightened the knot of his tie and smoothed out the sleeves of his shirt, making sure he looked as presentable as he did since checking his reflection in the mirror this morning. The stakes of this meeting were high, and Aden knew that there were very important careers on the line.

"Aden Tate?"

"Yes," Aden confirmed as he stood quickly and extended his hand.

"Bellamy Blake, nice to meet you."

mile before turning their attention back to their mediums for the remainder of the night.

* * *

 **Because you all seemed to just LOVE the cliffhanger last chapter ;) I struggled so hard with this update at first, but I'm so happy with how it ended up falling into place. And how many of you noticed that the entirety of the meeting referenced in the magazine article was actually written back in Chapter 8 ? Hopefully it was as entertaining for you to read as it was for me to write!**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	15. Chapter 15

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Aden said as he shook Bellamy's hand firmly.

"Sir is what you'd call your boss," Bellamy stated as he held his tie to his chest and moved to sit down at the small table in the corner of the coffee shop. "We're going to be working _together_ , as equals."

"Understood," Aden replied with a sharp nod. "May I get you something?"

"Black coffee would be great."

He watched as Aden quickly walked over to the barista to place his order and smiled to himself. The kid was nervous, obviously, and was acting like he was having a conversation with an Army General or the President of the United States. Bellamy quickly settled himself at the table and reached into his briefcase to pull out a notepad and a pen. As he flipped to an empty page and clicked the end of his pen, Bellamy began to think through all of the information Aden had given him over the phone. It was his biggest lead on his biggest case, and he'd do everything possible to make sure their meeting went off without a hitch. Careers were at stake, and any wrong move could spell disaster for his own.

"Here you are," Aden said as he placed the steaming cup of coffee in front of Bellamy.

"Thank you," Bellamy responded kindly. "So there are a few things we should go over while we're here, and depending on what you tell me today will determine whether we'll need to meet again in a more private location."

"Alright," Aden answered as he fidgeted with the bottom of his tie and swallowed hard.

 _"Bellamy Blake."_

 _"Good afternoon, Mr. Blake," Aden spoke smoothly into the phone, "My name is Aden Tate, and I'm calling with some information about Porter Holdings Group. I was made aware that you are leading an investigation of the company and its executives."_

 _"And how were you made aware of this?"_

 _"With all due respect, Mr. Blake, I'm not calling to discuss where I got my information from but rather what I have to offer," Aden said as politely but sternly as possible._

 _The young assistant's breathing had quickened, and a thin sheen of sweat was forming at the top of his forehead as he tried to remain calm. There was a noticeable pause as the two men remained silent on the line before Aden heard a voice on the other end finally speak._

 _"I'm listening."_

 _"I have evidence to suggest that the company has been involved in fraudulent activity," Aden weakly offered before hearing a unimpressed sigh come through the earpiece of his phone._

 _"Which is precisely why my firm is involved in this investigation in the first place. Let's not waste any more of each other's time unless you have something substantial to tell me that I don't already know."_

 _Aden swallowed and took a deep breath._

 _"Porter Holdings Group has been involved with such crimes as tax evasion, money laundering, and insider trading," the young assistant said as he read straight from the notes he'd prepared before making the call._

 _"Again, this is all information me and my team is privy to and the very reasons why we're conducting the investigation. Unless you have hard evidence to..."_

 _"I do," Aden interrupted. "I have tax returns."_

 _"We have their tax returns from the last twenty years, so if there's nothing else–"_

 _"I have_ _ **original**_ _tax returns," Aden interrupted again, only to be met with silence. "I have five years of original tax returns and copies of their doctored tax returns which show a wide variety of inconsistencies. I also have correspondence between Edward Porter and a senior auditor at the IRS which explicitly detail how Mr. Porter would be compensating him for the intentional alterations made to his tax documents."_

 _There was a moment of silence on the line until Aden heard the rustling of papers and the click of a pen, followed by another short moment of silence while the man on the other line was most likely taking notes. Aden smirked before continuing._

 _"Furthermore I have bank statements from an unknown account showing deposits that correlate to the company's tax refunds, and withdrawals that correlate to the compensation figures quoted to the auditor," Aden rattled off quickly before he lost his nerve._

 _"Let me just interrupt you for a minute. This information would be extremely valuable to my investigation, so I need to ask... why are you agreeing to help me?"_

 _"Does it matter?" Aden asked honestly._

 _"As long as you realize that our temporary partnership in this investigation will not turn into a negotiation. My firm does not pay for information."_

 _"I understand," Aden agreed._

 _"Then I'd like to meet with you as soon as possible."_

"Now, before we get into too much detail," Bellamy started after he took a sip of his coffee, "I want to reiterate that you won't be compensated for the information you're about to give me. We do everything in our power to protect our sources as long as they agree to work within our guidelines. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Aden said with a swift nod of his head.

"Okay," Bellamy said as he took a breath and deftly rolled his pen through his fingers a few times, "so when we spoke on the phone, you mentioned that you had access to tax returns, bank statements, and various email correspondence all directly related to Porter Holdings Group, correct?"

"Yes," Aden confirmed with a nod.

"Do you have those documents with you now?" Bellamy asked as his eyes dipped down to Aden's messenger bag on the floor by his feet.

"No," Aden quickly answered. "I came straight from work and didn't want to risk losing anything throughout the day. All of the documents are on a jump drive at my... in a secure location."

"How did you come about this information?" Bellamy asked.

"My roommate is friends with Eva Porter's younger brother, Andrew," Aden explained.

"Ah," Bellamy said as a knowing expression passed over his face, "the Porter Family wild child."

"Yes," Aden agreed before taking a small sip of his chai tea.

"Do you know why Andrew chose to give you the information instead of bringing it directly to the authorities?" Bellamy asked.

"He wasn't sure he wanted to be involved," Aden vaguely answered. He knew Bellamy was just probing for information that wasn't completely necessary for him to know, so he kept his answers short and sweet.

"My firm has been investigating the Porter Holdings Group for the last five years," Bellamy explained as he took small sips from his coffee cup. "The file has been on my desk since I joined the company, and I was just recently given the opportunity to take lead on the case. Needless to say I'm eager to get your evidence since, if it _is_ what you _say_ it is, I can finally bring charges against the group in what might just be the biggest criminal case of the year – maybe even the decade."

Aden remained silent but agreed with him nonetheless by offering a small nod of his head. Bellamy crossed his arms and studied the younger man for a few long moments before speaking again.

"I think we need to meet somewhere a little more _secure_... where you can hand over all the documents for me and my team to review," Bellamy said as he held eye contact with Aden.

"Of course," Aden replied and watched as Bellamy dropped his gaze to scribble out an address onto the paper in his notepad.

"This is the hotel my team and I are staying at while we're in town," Bellamy said as he ripped the paper from its binding and held it across the table. "Does tomorrow at six o'clock work for you?"

"It does," Aden answered immediately as he took the slip of paper and folded it into his shirt pocket.

"Next coffee's on me," Bellamy said with a smile as he took his cup and stood to leave.

Aden sighed in relief that the meeting was over and had gone well, from what he could tell, and he quickly gathered his things to leave. He was excited to be a part of taking down the corrupt powerhouse that was Porter Holdings Group and even more excited knowing that Eva Porter herself would be involved. He knew the woman was bad news since the first time she manipulated him into changing the terms of her meeting his with boss. He'd found himself feeling protective of Lexa since the first time he saw Eva look at her with those predatory eyes of hers. When he had seen the trashy magazine article featuring the shady politician, he was sure she had a very strong hand in it. Lexa was a role model to him, and he would be _damned_ if some wealthy snob was able to smear her good name just for the sake of some sick and twisted game.

* * *

"Clarke!"

Her head turned around at the sound of her name as her eyes fell on a familiar attending who was currently jogging down a long hospital hallway to catch up to her.

"Hey, Wells," Clarke responded with a smile. "What's up?"

"The Ark next Saturday," Wells said with a giant smile on his face, "be there or be square."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a huge dork?" Clarke teased her friend.

"You actually," Wells answered immediately, "on several occasions."

"Well, I just call 'em like I see 'em," Clarke said with a shrug of her shoulders. "What's going on at The Ark?"

"My going away party, take two," Wells said as he held up two of his fingers for effect.

"Aww, that makes me sad," Clarke said as her expression changed from happy to disappointed in an instant.

She was thrilled for her friend to have been offered a new job but was still sad to see him go. They had become very close, almost dated once, and Clarke knew she would miss him like crazy once he was actually gone. The only good thing to come of his new employer pushing back his start date was that Clarke was able to spend a bit more time with him before he left.

"It's going to be so weird not working here anymore," Wells admitted as the two began walking down the hallway.

"I know," Clarke agreed. "I'm going to miss your steady hands during those ten hour surgeries."

"You don't have sole custody of these, Griffin," Wells teased as he held up his hands and wiggled his fingers dramatically. "I've got to spread these magic hands around."

"You are _such_ a dork," Clarke said with a laugh as she playfully hit her friend's shoulder.

"Will you be there though?" Wells asked expectantly as they arrived at the door of the lounge.

"Definitely," Clarke answered.

"Great!" Wells exclaimed as he clapped his hands once and jumped a few paces down the hall. "Bring friends!"

"Will do!" Clarke called after him before opening the door to the lounge and slipping in.

"Hey, sweetie," Abby said as she turned her head to see her daughter walk through the doorway.

"Hey, Mom," Clarke replied with a small smile.

They hadn't had much of an opportunity to talk after their latest awkward encounter in Clarke's apartment a few days ago, where Abby saw a scantily-clad Lexa coming out of her daughter's bedroom the morning after the two had spent the previous day together _celebrating_ Lexa's birthday. Clarke walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water, uncapping it quickly, and bringing it to her lips. Abby studied her daughter for a few moments while she finished mixing her coffee and turned towards her.

"Clarke, we should talk," Abby said cautiously.

"About?" Clarke asked before taking another long drink of her water.

"You and Lexa," Abby simply replied.

"I'm pretty sure you already told me about the birds and the bees, Mom," Clarke said as she eyed her mother sideways.

"I think it would be nice if you two went out for dinner with me and Marcus," Abby abruptly said.

" _What_?" Clarke asked as she choked on her water. "Why?"

"We should all get to know each other," Abby said as she took a step closer to Clarke. "Lexa is important to you, and Marcus..."

Clarke eyed her mother again as a few silent seconds passed.

"...is important to _you_?" Clarke finished for her.

"Yes," Abby confirmed.

Clarke sighed loudly and clenched her jaw a few times before her mother spoke again.

"I know that you were a little surprised by the whole Marcus thing..."

"Surprised?" Clarke interrupted as she crossed her arms over her chest. "More like disgusted and freaked out."

"But you really need to take the time to get to know him," Abby pleaded with her daughter.

"I already do know him," Clarke replied quickly. "We spend an hour together almost every day during Raven's physical therapy sessions."

"That's _work_ Marcus," Abby told her daughter. "I want you to get to know the _real_ Marcus, and he's dying to get to know you too."

Clarke scrunched her brow at this, initially wondering why Marcus would want to get to know her so much but quickly told herself that it was probably because he wanted to make a good impression now that he was dating her mother. She let out another soft sigh and looked back up to her mother, an expectant expression written all over her face as she waited for Clarke to answer.

"Fine," she said and took another sip of water. "Let's do it."

"Great!" Abby exclaimed through a big smile. "What day works for you two?"

"How about Thursday?" Clarke asked.

She and Lexa pretty much had a standing date night on Thursdays now that they had started seeing each other, so she knew they would both be free. Plus the sooner they could get this dinner over with, the better. Hopefully Lexa felt the same way.

"Perfect!" Abby said as she leaned over and kissed Clarke on the cheek. "Thank you."

"Sure," Clarke offered with a small smile, knowing how happy she'd just made her mother.

Abby grabbed her coffee and headed out of the lounge in a hurry, presumably in search of Marcus to tell him about Thursday. Clarke smiled and shook her head lightly, realizing that the new physical therapist must really be something special based solely on the way her mother had flitted out of the lounge. Clarke had not-so-secretly dreaded the day when her mother would find interest in a man other than her father, but it seemed that the day was here and couldn't be ignored any longer.

Clarke let out a small sigh as she plopped down onto one of the comfortable couches on the far side of the lounge, stretching her legs along the length of it and closing her eyes to relax for just a moment. She had to scrub in on her fourth surgery of the day in about fifteen minutes, so any momentary peacefulness Clarke could manage to steal she would. Her heart thumped quietly against her chest as she slowed her breathing, but her thoughts kept circling around to someone in particular. She fished her cell phone from the large pocket in her lab coat and called Lexa.

 _"Good afternoon, Dr. Griffin,"_ Lexa cooed into Clarke's ear from the other side of the phone pressed tightly against her cheek.

"Good afternoon, Miss Woods," Clarke replied, not caring to stifle the giant grin spreading quickly across her face.

 _"To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"_

"To the fact that your girlfriend was missing you and wanted to hear your voice," Clarke offered through her smile.

 _"That's quite a coincidence because_ _ **your**_ _girlfriend was just thinking about how much she was missing you as well."_

"Is that a fact?" Clarke teased.

 _"Of course, I don't speak lies."_

Clarke laughed at the playful formality of the brunette and delighted in the giggle she heard on the other end of the line.

"Well, that was adorable," Clarke said as her laughter tapered off, "and I hope you don't hate me after what I'm about to tell you."

 _"Impossible."_

Clarke smiled at the single word spoken and inhaled a deep breath before continuing.

"I agreed to a double date with my mom and Marcus this Thursday," she said hesitantly.

There was a long pause, and Clarke had to pull her phone away from her ear just to make sure they hadn't gotten disconnected.

 _"That's fine... it will be fine,"_ Lexa finally said, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Are you telling me that or yourself?" Clarke questioned.

 _"Well, don't act like it's not okay for me to be terrified of your mother."_

"You don't have to be terrified of her," Clarke said to reassure the brunette. "Just don't feel me up or be naked in front of her this time, and you'll be fine."

 _"Clarke! Not helping!"_

A much louder laugh came bellowing out of Clarke's chest at the comical desperation she could hear in her girlfriend's voice. She knew her mother loved Lexa, but still Lexa certainly had a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. [Author: *cough*]

"Honestly, don't stress out about it," Clarke said, "Marcus is the only one who should be nervous anyways."

She heard Lexa sigh quietly into the phone, clearly not having taken the blonde's advice.

 _"I'll try not to."_

"That's all I ask," Clarke replied, flipping herself on the couch so that her stomach was resting against the cushions and lowering her voice, "but if you don't succeed there's a couple of things I know I could do to you... to help you _relax_."

Clarke bit her lip and crossed her ankles as she waited for a response, this time knowing exactly what the silence on the other end of the line was. She pictured Lexa at her desk at work, with her mouth wide open or perhaps fidgeting in her seat, remembering the times they had _relaxed_ together over the last week. They had made love all of four times, so the honeymoon period of their relationship was still alive and well. Clarke could sense by how deliciously the brunette unraveled when she touched her that Lexa was wound so tightly the rest of the time, which made teasing the brunette with talking dirty that much more satisfying.

"I guess I'll just let you think about that for a while," Clarke rasped in a voice just above a whisper, "because I need to go scrub in on a surgery."

 _"I should... get back to work as well,"_ Clarke heard Lexa croak out before clearing her throat lightly.

"We'll talk later," Clarke purred.

 _"Bye, Clarke."_

A smirk played at the ends of her lips for a few short moments before she was throwing her legs off the couch and pushing herself to her feet. Clarke's eyes snapped to the familiar face of one of her fellow attendings who had apparently walked in sometime during her phone conversation and just overheard everything she'd said by the way her own smirk was situated on her mouth, and a light pink blush crept its way up Clarke's chest as she slowly made her way past the grinning surgeon and out the door without a word.

She tried not to bounce with each step she took towards the operating room, but it was nearly impossible for Clarke _not_ to every time she let her mind wander to her best friend. The days seemed to drag on impossibly long when she was away from Lexa, and time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye when they were together. Clarke wished she could stop the seconds from ticking away every time she found herself wrapped up in Lexa's arms, knowing that spending every waking moment with her still wouldn't be enough.

The heavy metal door was cool on her fingertips as Clarke swung it open and walked quickly over to the large sinks just outside of the operating room in which she was scheduled to operate, and she saw Wells already inside speaking to the patient as she was administered a dose of anesthesia. After she was thoroughly sterilized, Clarke dried her hands on the towels hanging just to the side of the sinks and proceeded into the brightly lit room. She took her place beside Wells and found his gaze as he spoke.

"Ready to save a life?"

"Always," Clarke answered as she wiggled her gloved fingers and turned her attention to the slumbering patient on the table below.

* * *

Abby had told Clarke that she and Marcus would be meeting her and Lexa at six o'clock sharp for their dinner together, but it was the older doctor who was threatening to run late as she stood inside of her large walk-in closet, rapidly thumbing through all of her clothes hanging neatly in their place. She originally thought she'd wear her favorite black dress since, well, you could never go wrong with black. But when she had pulled it out of the closet just ten minutes ago, she suddenly remembered that she had already worn it on a previous date with Marcus and wouldn't dream of being seen in it twice in a row. The restaurant they had all decided on wasn't casual, but it wasn't fancy either. It was that strange in-between kind of place that made her second guess whether she should wear a dress or a nice pair of slacks. Or perhaps a skirt. Was it too warm for a sweater?

A dress. You definitely can't go wrong with a dress.

With that decision made, Abby focused on one corner of her closet and pulled out a simple floral-patterned dress that she bought during one of her and Clarke's shopping dates about six months ago. They tried to find the time to spend an entire day together as much as possible, but their schedules as surgeons often found them working opposite shifts. Shrugging off her robe, she unzipped the back of the dress and lifted it off the hanger before stepping into it carefully. The smooth silk was cool across her skin, and she smiled at her reflection in the mirror inside her closet as she zipped herself up. The colors on the dress seemed to glow against her skin and balanced nicely with the makeup she'd just applied, and she couldn't help but feel beautiful.

With one last pass of hairspray and a small dab of perfume behind each ear, Abby headed downstairs with her shoes in her hand. She lingered at the bottom of the stairway as an picture of Jake caught her eye from the table just beside her, and her smile immediately faded. She had struggled with the idea of moving on since the day he passed away, the battle becoming even more difficult the day she met Marcus, but if she knew anything about her late husband it was that he would have wanted her to find a life for herself and be happy. It's what he always told her, and it's what she always told Clarke. A soft smile appeared again on her lips as she brushed her fingertips against the glass over his face and blinked back the tears threatening to spring to her eyes.

The sound of the doorbell tore her from her thoughts, and Abby quietly set the picture back down and blinked a few times as she composed herself. She slipped into her shoes and walked towards the front door, pursing her lips to smooth out the lipstick she had applied earlier. She swallowed before opening the door to reveal a perfectly coiffed yet somewhat nervous-looking Marcus standing at the ready with a bouquet of six red roses in his hand. He was dressed in jet black pants and a dark brown dress shirt with his hair neatly combed and his beard freshly trimmed. He had on a pair of black-rimmed glasses, something that Abby had never seen him wear before, and immediately decided it was a look she loved on him.

"Abby," Marcus breathed through a smile so wide it made his cheeks collide with the bottom of his glasses.

"Marcus," Abby quietly replied before leaning forward to catch his lips in a chaste kiss.

"You look beautiful," he told her before extending the flowers towards her.

"What a thoughtful gesture," Abby said as she took the flowers from his hand. "Let me put these in some water before we go."

"Of course," Marcus replied before following Abby through the front doorway.

She smiled to herself as she walked quickly into the kitchen in search of a vase. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floors, swearing that she heard a pronounced throat-clearing from the foyer and figured that Marcus was probably fidgeting as he waited for her to return. The flowers were held together by a thin ribbon which was tied into a bow that Abby quickly discarded before placing the bouquet into a tall vase and filling it with water. She brushed her fingertips along a few of the silky petals before turning to walk back toward her date.

"Should we head out?" Abby asked as a matter of courtesy while grabbing her purse and keys in her hands.

"Absolutely," Marcus responded before quickly slipping out the front door.

Like the true gentleman he was, he opened the car door for Abby and let her get in before rounding the car to hop in the driver's side. They drove in silence for a few minutes before he joked about being nervous to impress _three_ women tonight and second-guessing whether he should have brought flowers for all of them. Abby just laughed in response and assured him that the evening would go smoothly as long as he was himself.

The twenty-five minute drive felt more like a five minute drive as conversation flowed easily between them. They walked into the restaurant, hand in hand, to be met with an apparently very happy hostess if the wide smile on her face was anything to go by. Abby barely heard Marcus give the reservation name because she was intently watching where Lexa and her daughter were already sitting at a table for four. Their backs were to the door, and Lexa was leaning in close as she whispered something to Clarke before placing a tender kiss just below her daughter's ear. The shy smiles the two shared as Lexa pulled away was all Abby needed to know to be sure that the two were truly, deeply in love.

"Hey girls," Abby greeted as she and Marcus stepped up to the opposite side of the table.

"Hey, Mom," Clarke said through a genuine smile. "Hi, Marcus."

"Good evening, Clarke," Marcus replied with a smile of his own before sitting down.

"Abby," Lexa quietly greeted the surgeon with a small smile.

"Hi, Lexa," Abby returned the greeting before gesturing towards Marcus. "Lexa, Marcus. Marcus, Lexa."

The group laughed at the quick introduction, and Lexa extended her hand to meet Marcus's diagonally across the table. They each gave the other a polite smile and shook hands.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Lexa," Marcus said as he flicked his gaze at Clarke for just a moment before looking back at the brunette. "Clarke spends more time talking about you than anything else."

"Oh," Lexa said as she blushed lightly. "I hope that's a good thing."

"Definitely," Marcus quickly clarified. "The way she goes on about you had me seriously doubting that you were even a real person. I think she might think you're too good to be true."

Lexa's eyes darted over to Clarke who was staring at her with wide eyes, a dark blush high on her cheeks, and the inside of her bottom lip between her teeth. She couldn't believe only five minutes into the night she had already blushed twice, but the heat on the tips of her ears left no doubt. All this time it was she who thought Clarke was too good to be true, so it made Lexa's heart flutter to know that Clarke had been thinking the same way about her too.

"Well, now that we've embarrassed the girls already," Abby interjected, "why don't we order a bottle of wine?"

"Sounds good to me," Clarke said as she gulped her water, knowing that a nice glass of wine might help the evening roll along a little more smoothly.

Their conversation was politely interrupted when the waiter came over to welcome them to the restaurant and take their drink orders. Marcus was something of a wine connoisseur, so he took it upon himself to order an appropriate bottle for the table to share. After each of their glasses had been filled, the waiter departed to let them go over the menu. Fortunately each of them had been to this particular restaurant before, so the decisions on what to order were made quickly.

"So, Lexa," Marcus began to say, "what is it that you do?"

"I'm an attorney," Lexa simply offered. "Most of my clients politicians, some well-established and others up-and-coming."

"Wow," Marcus replied as his eyebrows raised with surprise. "That's quite impressive."

"Lexa set the state record as the youngest person to pass the BAR," Clarke interjected as she beamed with pride at her best friend.

"I assure the record will be broken someday," Lexa added modestly before taking a small sip of her wine.

"Still," Clarke said with a twinkle in her eyes, "it's worth mentioning, I think."

Lexa gave a small smile to Clarke as she set her wine glass down on the table.

"So how long have you two known each other?" Marcus probed as he took a sip of his own glass of wine.

"About six years, I think," Clarke answered. She looked to Lexa for confirmation, and the brunette just nodded.

"And they've been inseparable ever since," Abby added. "I'm actually surprised you two didn't get together sooner than this."

"Mom," Clarke weakly warned before her mother continued anyways, directing her attention towards Lexa.

"I haven't seen Clarke this happy since..." Abby trailed off for a moment, "for a long time."

Both Clarke and Abby knew exactly what she was about to say. She hadn't seen Clarke this happy since before her father passed away. He was someone the two women thought about every day, but Abby was certain that Clarke's sometimes subtle and sometimes no-to-subtle changes in positivity to her mood were caused by Lexa. She was absolutely certain of it.

"So, Marcus, what's your story?" Clarke suddenly broke the silence and changed the subject. "Do you have any kids?"

Marcus swallowed and shook his head lightly before preparing to tell his story. He knew it was only a matter of time before the daughter of the woman he was dating started asking him questions, and he'd been preparing himself all evening for that very moment.

"No," he replied. "I was married though, once, to the love of my life. We met back during our college years, but our crazy University schedules and later job opportunities kept us from ever pursuing any kind of relationship. Then about seven years ago, we happened upon each other just days after I'd taken a job at a hospital on the west coast. We decided to give it a go and were married about two years later. We both decided a few years into the marriage that we wanted to start a family, but we were... unsuccessful in our attempts. When we decided to go in for some tests was when we found out that she was sick. She passed away about eight months later."

"I'm sorry," Clarke offered sincerely, knowing how heart-wrenching it is to lose someone so close to you.

"After that I... was a little aimless... a little confused... empty..." Marcus said as he appeared to be remembering back to that time in his life, "I moved back to the east coast and about a year later got a call from your chief inviting me to join the hospital, which is how I got to where I'm at now."

Marcus finished his story with a smile as he laced his fingers together, resting them gently on the table below him. Clarke nodded as she processed everything he'd just told her. She knew why her mother was so drawn to him. He lost his own wife, the love of _his_ life, far too soon just like her own mother had lost hers. It was all beginning to come together in her mind, and she felt herself slowly start to accept his place in her mother's life throughout the course of the evening.

The waiter came shortly thereafter to deliver their food, and they lost themselves in an easy flow of comfortable conversation while they ate until their plates were clean. Lexa happily agreed to share a piece of cheesecake with the group when it was suggested, and they all had regaled in Clarke's recent baking adventure in her efforts to surprise Lexa on her birthday. And when the check came, Marcus generously offered to pay the entire bill. He insisted that whatever he could do to make three beautiful women think as highly as possible of him, he would do without question. They all laughed in response and graciously accepted the gesture. After hugs and handshakes were given and lengthy goodbyes were said, the two couples split to drive back to their homes on opposite sides of the city.

"That went way better than I thought it would," Clarke admitted as she pulled her jeep out into light traffic.

"Marcus is great," Lexa offered. "I can see why your mother likes him so much."

"Yeah, me too," Clarke quietly agreed. There was something just a bit off in her mood, but Lexa couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"Are you alright?" She asked the blonde.

"It's just weird seeing her with someone else," Clarke said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It will take some getting used to."

"Understandable," Lexa replied softly.

She knew Clarke didn't need a whole speech about 'this is what your dad would have wanted,' so she just kept quiet and let the blonde get lost in her own thoughts for a while. They pulled up in front of Lexa's apartment before too long, and Clarke quickly put the car into park before leaning over the center console to meet Lexa's lips in a kiss. They both sighed as their mouths gently collided again and again, and Clarke lifted her left hand to Lexa's cheek as the continued to lose themselves in their kiss. When the need for air suddenly became an issue, their lips disconnected slowly from one another.

"I'd been waiting all night to do that," Clarke said through a growing smile.

"Stay with me tonight," Lexa whispered before pressing her plump lips into Clarke's again, "please?"

Clarke let herself get swept away in the soft touches of Lexa's lips before groaning unhappily into her mouth. She pulled away reluctantly and stared into darkened green eyes.

"It's already late," Clarke began as she flicked her gaze down to Lexa's lips again, "and if I go in there, we'll be up even later... and I have a six o'clock shift tomorrow morning."

Lexa pulled away just an inch and turned her mouth down in the most adorable pout Clarke had ever seen in her life, which made it about a million times harder _not_ to follow the brunette back into her apartment. Clarke let her hand drop from Lexa's cheek before speaking softly.

"I'm sorry," she offered.

"Don't be," Lexa finally caved. "I wouldn't want to be responsible for your fellow surgeons being on the receiving end of your grumpiness first thing in the morning."

Clarke shot her a playful glare before saying, "my co-workers thank you."

Lexa smiled and leaned forward to mold her lips to Clarke's one last time. They remained completely still for a few long seconds, completely content in drinking in the heat from each other's lips until Lexa slowly pulled herself away from the kiss. The sensitive skin on Clarke's lips tingled with excitement every time the two shared a kiss, and tonight was no exception. She licked her lips as Lexa did the same before pulling away completely.

"Goodnight, Clarke," Lexa said softly as she opened her door to climb out of the truck.

"Goodnight, Lexa," Clarke replied just as softly as she watched the brunette slide from her seat, shut the door carefully behind her, and disappear behind the large doors to her apartment building.

* * *

The next morning, Lexa woke up with a headache. It was rare for the brunette to get them, but she chocked it up to having had a few glasses of wine the previous night at the restaurant and not getting nearly enough sleep as she should have on a weekday. Five in the morning seemed to come faster than it ever had before, and Lexa was thankful that it was her last day in the office before the weekend. She also was thankful that she had no client meetings scheduled, so she could set her own pace as she worked throughout the day.

She opted to make herself a cup of coffee in place of her usual hot tea this particular morning, and drank it in record time as she got herself ready for work. The walk to her office was quite pleasant, sun shining warmly on her skin even in the early hour and a light breeze ruffling through her long hair as she went. Her usual greeting with Aden ensued the moment she stepped through the doors, and she was pleased to hear that he was ahead of schedule on all of his weekly tasks. The young man was a hard worker, and Lexa told herself for the umpteenth time that she was so lucky to have him.

As the afternoon quickly sneaked up on her, a quiet knocking on her office door broke Lexa out of her train of thoughts as she looked up from the file laid across her desk to see Aden peaking his head inside her office. She sat in silence and raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to speak.

"I wanted to give you a heads up that Mr. Jones will be calling you to discuss the DC Expo," Aden told her just before her phone started to ring. He quirked his eyebrow and pointed to her phone with an expression on his face that seemed to say 'I told you so.'

Lexa chuckled and nodded as Aden made his way back to his desk. She took a deep breath before lifting the phone to her ear and speaking.

"Lexa Woods," she said with her most professional-sounding voice she could manage.

 _"Lexa, it's Jones."_

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jones," Lexa immediately responded. "How are you feeling?"

Lexa's boss had been recovering from a pulled back muscle, which was more than likely just an excuse for him to be out of the office for a few weeks without his clients complaining they couldn't get a hold of him. He was certainly a dedicated lawyer in his own right, but he was also never one to pass up an opportunity to spend time away from the formalities of the office if he could help it. He had put his heart and soul into building his firm over the last thirty-five years, so Lexa thought better of questioning his decisions to take leave from the office so regularly.

 _"I'm feeling better, thank you."_

He wasn't one for chit-chat, and Lexa had quickly caught onto that during their initial interview when she was applying for the position a few years ago.

 _"Lexa, I'd like you to represent our firm at this year's Expo."_

"It would be my pleasure, sir," Lexa quickly responded, having already been suspicious that this was why he was calling in the first place.

 _"Have your assistant make arrangements for your flight and feel free to schedule a driver for the duration of the conference."_

"I will," Lexa replied. "Thank you."

 _"Be sure to prepare a detailed brief of each conference for me to review when you get back. There are going to be a lot of new faces running the conference this year, and I'm expecting you to make a good first impression for our firm."_

"Absolutely," Lexa agreed.

 _"Charge everything to the company card, and have your assistant file the appropriate paperwork by the end of the month."_

"Alright," Lexa said. "Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Jones."

 _"You're one of the best, Lexa. It's a pleasure for me to ask you to stand in my place this year."_

"That means a lot to me," Lexa replied as she smiled silently at the compliment.

 _"Have a great rest of your day."_

"You as well," Lexa offered before they each said their goodbyes.

Lexa's heart pumped in her chest as she hung up with her boss and immediately reached for her cell phone. She couldn't wait to tell Clarke the news, knowing that she would be excited since Lexa had gushed about how prestigious and important the Washington DC Expo was when it rolled around this time each year. She quickly typed out a text message and hit send as the smile on her face stayed solidly in place.

 **Lexa: My boss just personally requested for me to represent our firm at this year's DC Expo.**

 **Clarke: Seriously? Wow, so proud of you babe!**

Lexa's smile grew even more as she read the response from her girlfriend before another message popped up on her screen.

 **Clarke: When do you leave?**

Lexa's smile wavered slightly as she realized that she would be leaving in as little as a few days and would be gone for almost an entire week.

 **Lexa: Conferences start next Monday, so I'll probably fly out sometime this weekend.**

 **Clarke: That gives me at least one night to make it impossible for you to forget me while you're gone.**

 **Lexa: It's already impossible, but I wouldn't hate to see what you had in mind...**

Lexa bit her lip as her mind wandered through all of the ways Clarke might try and help her not forget until her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Aden answering the phone at his desk. She swallowed and straightened her shirt before setting her phone down and refocusing on the file sprawled across her desk. She instinctively reached for her phone again when she heard it vibrating against the desk and noticed another text message from Clarke had appeared on the screen.

 **Clarke: We should celebrate your nerdy lawyer victory tonight at my place.**

 **Lexa: It's not nerdy. It's an honor.**

Lexa rolled her eyes at the blonde's attempt to tease her and waited for a reply.

 **Clarke: Whatever you need to tell yourself, babe.**

Lexa smiled as she saw the word 'babe' again, noting that it was the first time either of them had used a pet name on each other. She quickly decided it was something she'd love to hear fall from Clarke's lips sometime and wondered what pet names she might like to hear in return. With another roll of her eyes, Lexa broke away from her high school thoughts of pet names and typed out another text.

 **Lexa: What time should I come over?**

 **Clarke: How about 5:30? I can order something for dinner.**

 **Lexa: Don't you have PT with Raven tonight?**

 **Clarke: We already had it earlier this morning. Marcus has "plans" tonight.**

 **Lexa: Ah, understood. I'll see you then!**

The rest of the afternoon surprisingly flew by despite Lexa's urgency to be done with work and get over to Clarke's apartment. She considered packing an overnight bag but didn't want to seem presumptuous, even though she was pretty positive that Clarke wouldn't have minded. As she neared the door of Clarke's apartment, Lexa heard the rattling of silverware as it was being pulled from their drawer and the soft hum of the blonde singing to herself. A smile fell onto Lexa's lips before she knocked quietly.

 _"Come in!"_

Lexa only rolled her eyes in response and opened the door to be met with the mouth-watering smell of her favorite Chinese takeout and the sight of her beautiful girlfriend bouncing around her dining room table as she set forks down beside the dinner plates that were already in place. The table was covered with various sizes of white takeout boxes, a bottle of beer at each place setting, and a candle that was flickering with every movement Clarke made to disturb the air around it.

"I know, I know," Clarke spoke hastily, "I left my door unlocked, but I knew you'd be right over."

"Still," Lexa began to protest until her words were cut off by Clarke's lips on her own.

"Your congratulatory dinner is served," Clarke said as she made a sweeping motion with her arm towards the table.

"Thank you," Lexa responded through a smile. "It's smells delicious."

"So tell me about the Expo," Clarke said excitedly as she sat down and reached for a box of food.

"I've already told you about it," Lexa replied as she reached for her own box, "multiple times."

"Yes, but this time I'll listen," Clarke said dramatically while dishing a heaping pile of fried rice on her plate.

"You didn't listen to me before?" Lexa asked as she stilled her movements to look over at Clarke.

"Well, before you were just my dorky best friend," she started, "now you're my smoking hot girlfriend, so I have to listen this time."

"Clarke!" Lexa scolded as she slapped the blonde's shoulder.

"What?" Clarke teased back. "Oh, like you don't glaze over when I start talking about new surgical procedures."

"Well, I have to glaze over so that I don't throw up hearing all the gory details you always want to share," Lexa shot back as she began to pull some food onto her plate with her fork.

"See? Same thing," Clarke said with a shrug as she plopped an egg roll onto her plate. Lexa let out a loud sigh but realized that it was kind of the same thing after all.

"The Expo is a gathering of attorneys representing the most notable law firms in the country," Lexa explained. "Conferences and lectures are held throughout the week lead by guest speakers and industry leaders, which is the main reason for attending. There's an awards ceremony on Monday and a recognition dinner the following night, which will be _amazing_ to see in person."

Clarke smiled as Lexa gushed about her upcoming business trip, but she couldn't help but feel a little saddened that her girlfriend would be away from her for so long.

"So it's an entire week?" Clarke asked before taking another bite of food.

"Yeah," Lexa said as she nodded and swallowed her mouthful of noodles. "Well, there's probably a good three to four days of conferences, two days of optional stuff and a day on each end of the week for travel. So probably eight days in all."

"So why did your boss decide not to go this year?" Clarke asked, knowing that it was rare to send a subordinate to as prestigious an event as this.

"I can't be sure, but I think it has something to do with the fact that he hurt his back not too long ago," Lexa explained. "He probably isn't up for traveling. And the amount of preparation at the Expo that has to be done can be a little daunting."

"Preparation?" Clarke echoed as she continued to eat.

"Writing summaries of the lectures, taking notes during the conferences," Lexa told her. "I'll have to draft a whole bunch of briefs for my boss while I'm there, which can be very time consuming."

Clarke nodded in response, not wanting to talk with her mouth full, and let Lexa continue.

"Anyways, I'm excited but feeling a little rushed," Lexa admitted. "Aden booked my flight for Sunday afternoon, so I really only have one day to pack."

"I could come over and help you," Clarke suggested. "If you want."

"I'd love that, but I have a strange feeling you'd be more of a distraction than a help," Lexa teased before taking another bite from her plate.

"Don't say I didn't offer," Clarke answered with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.

They finished their dinner and chatted a bit more about the Expo and about Clarke's newest patients at the hospital. Lexa teased Clarke about ordering so much takeout, and Clarke assured Lexa that it wouldn't be going to waste over the next few days. They fell onto the couch together, holding hands with fingers intertwined, and quickly found something suitable to watch on TV. After about thirty minutes, Clarke noticed Lexa softly rubbing her temple and asked what was wrong.

"Oh, I woke up with this headache that's just kind of been lingering all day," Lexa told her.

"Do you want some aspirin?" Clarke asked.

"I took some before I came," the brunette replied. "I'll be fine."

"Why don't I give you a nice relaxing massage then," Clarke offered as she let go of Lexa's hand and motioned for her to lie on the couch.

"I approve of that idea," Lexa said with a smile on her lips.

She watched as Lexa turned away from her to re-position herself to lie across the couch, but Clarke stopped her movement with her knee and tugged on the bottom hem of Lexa's shirt.

"Off," Clarke said just before Lexa swiftly tugged the clothing over her head a second later.

"This too," Clarke added as she slid her fingertips along the back of Lexa's bra.

The brunette complied and immediately moved to lay down onto the couch, much to the disappointment of Clarke. She whined in displeasure and tried to stop the other girl from connecting her front to the cushions below her but failed.

"Wait, I don't even get a peek?"

"You told you you'd give me a massage, Clarke, you didn't say anything about getting a peek," Lexa teased from her prone position on the couch.

Clarke huffed but said nothing more in protest before swinging her leg up to straddle the brunette's hips. Her cool hands contrasted the warmth radiating off the smooth skin of Lexa's back as she slowly moved them over tense shoulders, gently soothing the muscles as she went. A moan of approval came from the brunette as Clarke continued the steady movement of her fingers and enjoyed the opportunity to be able to let her eyes and hands roam freely over the body beneath her.

They continued this way for another ten minutes or so until Clarke carefully shimmied herself down until she was straddling the back of Lexa's thighs. She pulled her hands down the expanse of Lexa's back, her palms flat against her skin, until she reached the waistband of Lexa's pants. She slowly and sensually slid them over the perfect curve of her ass and began massaging the round muscles with her fingertips. Clarke stole a glance up just in time to see a shy smile pulling at the edges of Lexa's lips as she continued to lie completely still on the couch. It wasn't until Clarke's lips made contact with the small of her back that Lexa squirmed every so subtly.

"Clarke," Lexa said as she tried to warn the blonde but what came out sounded more like a breathy moan of her name.

"Hmm?" Clarke hummed as her lips traveled up the brunette's spine, leaving soft kisses in their path.

"I thought... I thought you were... giving me a massage," Lexa stuttered as she tried not to let the feeling of Clarke's lips on her skin take over her senses.

"I am giving you a massage," Clarke answered as she exaggerated the movement of her hands kneading the brunette's backside.

Lexa said nothing in response, and Clarke continued her pace until she was spreading light kisses along the tops of Lexa's shoulders and delighting in the sound of ragged breaths coming from the woman beneath her. She was pleasantly surprised when she felt Lexa start to turn, and her breath caught in her throat when she was met with a sight she thought she may never get used to. Her lips were parted and her chest was heaving lightly, and green eyes bore through hers with an intense passion Clarke was sure would have knocked her off her feet if she'd been standing.

Clarke couldn't help herself from leaning over the beautiful body below her and capturing waiting lips with her own. They kissed slowly, and Clarke immediately drew her hands up Lexa's toned stomach to cup her breasts, brushing over straining nipples with her thumbs. Lexa couldn't stop herself from moaning into Clarke's mouth as she lost herself in the feeling of soft fingers on her chest cupping, caressing, teasing. It was something she was certain if Clarke would do another thousand times that she still wouldn't be able to control the way her heart pounded with every touch.

Clarke suddenly felt Lexa shift below her, and she felt herself being pushed up into a sitting position. Their kiss finally broke, and Lexa used the opportunity to strip Clarke of her shirt quickly and immediately let both hands fall to Clarke's chest. Her fingertips danced along the skin of her generous breasts in every place the delicate lace of her bra wasn't covering. When Lexa's lips made contact with the skin her fingers had just been teasing, Clarke let out a breathy moan and tipped her head back as she arched herself into Lexa's touch.

"Clarke," Lexa whispered against the swell of her right breast before brushing her lips over the skin there.

Clarke did her best to respond, but nothing other than a ragged puff of breath came out of her mouth. She dropped her head back down to look her girlfriend in the eyes, but Lexa was too intent on staring at the plump curves in front of her. She watched as Lexa pushed up on her breasts with both of her hands, staring reverently at them as they moved under her palms and stopping to squeeze every so often. When heavily hooded eyes finally met hers, Clarke was mesmerized at the affection pouring out of them in a single, wordless look.

"You are so beautiful," Lexa whispered softly and let her gaze lower to the blonde's parted lips.

And Clarke believed it. She had never believed she was this beautiful to anyone before, but Lexa let the words fall from her lips with such conviction and sentiment that she couldn't help but believe the girl with every fiber of her being. They fell into each other's arms for the rest of the night, working each other up and easing each other down with their fingers, their lips, and their words until they fell asleep wrapped tightly together and remained that way until a new day claimed their senses once again.

* * *

Sunday came upon the two before they knew it, and Clarke was driving Lexa to the airport to begin their eight days of separation. They had said their proper goodbyes on Friday night, followed by a tender several minutes of kisses and whispers on this very morning. Clarke had decided to make the best of her time away from Lexa and planned on buying some new painting supplies to start on a new piece that she could surprise her girlfriend with when she came back. It had been far too long since Clarke had picked up a paint brush, but the recent changes to her relationship with her best friend had her feeling more inspired than ever before.

Once Clarke pulled her truck up to the traveler drop-off site, they made quick work of hauling Lexa's luggage out of the trunk. They hugged, they kissed, Lexa promised Clarke she'd text her when she landed, and Clarke told Lexa she'd miss her. They quickly parted ways after getting a stern look from a police officer who was patrolling the area to keep the flow of traffic moving, and Clarke felt her heart weigh down just the tiniest bit a she drove away. All she could do at this point was hope that the next eight days would fly by.

"Hey, O," Clarke whispered into her phone as she answered the call from her friend.

 _"Hey,"_ Octavia instinctively whispered back. _"Why are we whispering?"_

"I'm in an art store," Clarke explained.

She wanted to try and get a jump start on her painting during her day off of work, so she headed straight to her favorite art store for supplies right after dropping Lexa off at the airport.

 _"Finally painting again?"_

"Yep," Clarke replied. "Lexa inspires me."

 _"Oh, I'm sure she does. I'm sure she does that and then some,"_ Octavia suggestively hinted.

"Was there a reason you called me?" Clarke asked, trying to change the subject in fear her face would light up in a blush if Octavia continued any further.

 _"Yeah, did you know that Bellamy is in town?"_

"What? No," Clarke said as she let her fingers dance across a display of expensive paint brushes. "I had no idea."

 _"Well, I guess he's here for another few days for a work thing and mentioned going out with you."_

"This is the first time I'm hearing about it," Clarke answered as she decided on a small set of brushes before moving onto part of the store where all of the paints were displayed.

 _"Well, Lincoln and I are going to dinner with him tomorrow night. You could come along if you're free."_

"I'm working late tomorrow night," Clarke quickly replied and felt a little disappointed she wouldn't be able to tag along. It wasn't often that Bellamy was in town now that his new job was on the opposite side of the country.

 _"Okay, no biggie,"_ Octavia responded. _"Hey, do you think Raven would be able to get another day pass this week? I was kinda thinking we could have a girls day at the movies or the beach or something. She's been itching to get out of the hospital again since we went dress shopping."_

"That sounds like a blast," Clarke said as her voice broke higher than a whisper now that she was in the back corner of the store. "It'll just be the three of us though because Lexa is out of town for the next eight days."

 _"Seriously? Where did she go?"_

"She was asked by her boss to represent their firm at the DC Expo this year," Clarke told her friend as she put several different colors of paints in her shopping basket.

 _"No fucking way. That lawyer meet-and-greet thing she's geeks out about every year?"_

"That's the one," Clarke answered through a small smile on her face. Lexa did geek out about it, and Clarke loved it.

 _"Awesome for her, sucks for you. Did you get some hot lovin' in before she left on her jet plane?"_

"I don't kiss and tell, O," Clarke said as another, bigger smile broke out on her face.

 _"I can practically hear you smiling from here, which tells me that's a big fat yes. Ugh, you two are gross."_

"Then _why_ do you ask?" Clarke wondered out loud.

 _"Morbid curiosity?"_

Clarke chuckled at the response and made her way over towards the canvases, quickly picking out a variety bundle which contained an assortment of different sizes.

"Well, if you're curious questioning is complete, I need to let you go and pay for all this stuff," Clarke said as she referred to the basket of painting supplies now digging into the skin of her forearm where it was hanging heavily.

 _"Okay, let me know about the day pass."_

"Will do," Clarke assured her friend. "Talk to you later."

 _"Bye, Clarke."_

Five minutes later, Clarke was charging $200 to her debit card and smiling brightly to herself thinking it was the best investment she'd made in a while.

* * *

 **I decided to give you all a break with that whole cliffhanger business since you were made to endure two in a row previous to this chapter :) Hope you enjoyed it regardless!**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	16. Chapter 16

"We meet again," the large man said as a huge grin spread slowly across his face.

"Good afternoon, Gustus," Lexa greeted her driver with a smile as she proceeded to the curb with her luggage trailing behind her.

"I was surprised when your assistant called me to schedule an entire week in DC," Gustus told the brunette as he effortlessly swung her bags away up and into the trunk of the large black sedan, "but I can't say that I'm disappointed."

"It's good to see you again," Lexa beamed as she put her hand on his upper arm and gave it a light squeeze.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lexa," he replied, his smile staying firmly in place as he reached past her to open the car door for her.

"Your hotel is only about ten minutes away," Gustus informed the brunette as he adjusted his rearview mirror and pulled away from the curb. "Is there anywhere you need to go before we head over there?"

"No," Lexa told him a she made herself comfortable in the back seat. "There's a happy hour in the hotel banquet hall at six-thirty, and I'd just like to relax before then."

Gustus nodded in response and proceeded to drive the quickest route possible to the hotel where Lexa had been booked to stay in all week. He'd done his research and discovered that it was one of the nicest in the area, boasting a lavish banquet hall, a 24 hour full service concierge, and in-house dry cleaning and spa services. It was where either the wealthy or the privileged stayed while in the DC area, so he was surprised when Lexa's firm had arranged a room for him there as well. It was no doubt an economy room, probably one of the smallest in the hotel, but he certainly wasn't complaining. It wasn't every day that he was hired for an out-of-state event, and the compensation for such was a huge bonus.

"Very well," Gustus replied in his usual professional manner.

Lexa smiled in response and turned her attention to her phone. She chided herself quickly, realizing that Gustus told her during their first meeting that one of the reasons he liked driving her around was because she wasn't one of those preoccupied business clients who had their noses stuck to their phones the entire drive. She quickly dropped her phone in her lap and stole a glance up at the rear view mirror to see her driver looking back at her with an amused look in his eyes.

"Don't stop business on my account, Lexa," Gustus told her.

"It wasn't business," Lexa clarified, "but it can wait."

"If it has anything to do with the girl you were gushing about the last time we were together, then I don't think it _should_ wait," Gustus said with a knowing look in his eyes.

 **Lexa smiled shyly and moved to pick up her phone again to type out a quick text to that very girl.**

 **Lexa: Landed safely and on my way to the hotel.**

 **Clarke: Is it bad that you've been gone less than 6 hours, and I already miss you?**

 **Lexa: Not at all. If you think that's bad, I won't dare tell you when I started missing you...**

 **Clarke: I'm too busy smiling to even come up with a response for that.**

Lexa felt herself biting back her own smile as she thought about the blonde smiling, and suddenly her stomach was doing flip-flops and pangs of what felt a lot like loneliness started shooting in her chest. She shouldn't be feeling all of this after being away from her girlfriend for a matter of hours... should she? Yes. She should be feeling this way because her relationship with Clarke was special, Clarke was special, and quite frankly she was allowed to feel any way she damn well pleased. Lexa nodded once as if she was ending the internal debate with herself and turned her attention back to her phone.

 **Lexa: So what are you up to tonight?**

 **Clarke: Going to bed as early as possible because I have a shitty double shift tomorrow.**

 **Clarke: I wish you were here tonight to relax me...**

 **Clarke: For no other reason than to help me fall asleep faster, of course.**

Lexa chuckled at the messages sent in quick succession and typed out a short response.

 **Lexa: Oh, of course.**

 **Clarke: So what are your plans tonight?**

 **Lexa: Happy hour at 6:30pm then off to bed for me as well.**

 **Clarke: Happy hour? Jealous.**

 **Clarke: This isn't just one giant lawyer party that masquerades as an official "Expo" so that you all can get away from your significant others to blow off steam now is it?**

 **Lexa: Definitely not. The happy hour tonight is pretty much the only non-work event I'll be participating in. All of my other free time will be spent working on the reports I have to prepare for my boss.**

 **Clarke: Mhmm, if you say so...**

Lexa rolled her eyes, knowing that Clarke was joking but sensing a bit of actual jealousy that the blonde wasn't there with her.

 **Clarke: I can let you go though, I'm sure you want to check into your hotel and relax for a bit.**

 **Lexa: I was thinking of doing precisely that... and maybe take a bubble bath as well...**

 **Clarke: Feel free to send me pictures of that. You know, if you want to.**

Lexa let out a small giggle and stared down at her phone. Before she could lose herself in too many thoughts of how she was going to tease Clarke with images of herself in the bathtub later, a small chuckle sounded from the front seat of the car. Lexa looked up and caught Gustus's eyes in the mirror and blushed slightly, knowing he was laughing at how giddy she probably looked while she was texting Clarke.

"You're going to have to tell me about this girl sometime," Gustus finally said.

"I'd love to," Lexa replied. "In fact, maybe we could meet each other for breakfast tomorrow. My first conference doesn't start until late morning... unless that would be breaking some kind of driver-client rule of non-fraternization or something."

"It's not something I've done on the job before, but I absolutely wouldn't be opposed to it," Gustus answered with a small smile.

"Great," Lexa said as her own smile found its place across her lips.

They pulled under the large portico above three sets of large glass doors. It extended out a good twenty feet or so over the beautiful cobblestone drive that was lined with perfectly trimmed hedges. Lexa's eyes raked up the entire height of the building, suddenly feeling excited and nervous at the fact that she was here –actually here– and just a day away from hearing some of the most respected lawyers in the country share their wealth of knowledge with the elite group of people selected to attend this Expo. With a small clearing of her throat, Lexa pulled herself together and instinctively moved to open the car door just before it came rushing open from the other side. She momentarily forgot that Gustus was in charge of opening and closing doors for her, so she gave him a shy smile as she climbed out of the car. Within a few minutes, Gustus had emptied the trunk of her luggage and placed it beside her as she stood a good distance away from the lobby doors, continuing to let her eyes roam over the architecture of it.

"Miss, may I take your bags?" The eager bellman asked as he pushed himself through one of the large glass doors leading into the hotel lobby.

"Yes, thank you," Lexa offered politely. Normally she would have no problem carrying her own bags, but it was nice to be treated once in a while and even nicer when it was on the company's dime.

"Check in is right this way," the young man said as he waited for Lexa to follow him.

"See you tomorrow morning," Lexa said over her shoulder to the burly driver standing at attention beside the dark car.

"Have a great evening, Lexa," Gustus replied and tipped his head.

The lobby was unlike anything she had ever seen in real life. The floors were black and white marble, illustriously shiny and polished to perfection. Dark mahogany wood outlined each and every expansive space, from window casings and intricate beams linking across the impossibly tall domed ceiling to luxurious furniture and a front desk that looked to be almost thirty feet long. The staff were dressed in black tuxedos and bowties, each of them looking more distinguished than the last. If not for their uniforms and name badges, Lexa thought she might have had a difficult time differentiating the staff from the guests. The bellboy walking briskly in front of her came to an abrupt stop at one end of the long desk and informed the person behind it that she was needing to check in. A few minutes later, Lexa had a keycard and the fanciest hotel map she had ever seen and was quickly ushered over to an Expo staff member standing behind a small table set up just to the side of the elevators.

"Welcome to the DC Expo," the woman warmly greeted. "Your name?"

"Lexa Woods," Lexa answered.

The woman tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear as she looked through a thick binder for what was presumably Lexa's entrance pass for the week of conventions and lectures being held for her and the thousands of other lawyers attending the event. The woman delicately pulled a laminated card from the plastic holder contained in the binder and reached for a thin lanyard from a box filled to the top with them.

"This is your all-access pass," the woman said as she clipped the card onto the lanyard securely and handed it to Lexa. "It will get you into all of the conferences and lectures for the entire duration of the Expo, so keep it on you at all times."

Lexa nodded and immediately slipped it over her head, taking a second to lift her hair and situate the lanyard directly against the skin on her neck and in between the stiff collar of her white business shirt. She offered a smile to the woman behind the table but said nothing as she sensed the woman was not done with her spiel.

"Here is your extended itinerary for the week," the woman said as she handed Lexa a binder with her name printed across the front. "It details each of the conferences you signed up for as well as information on the time and place of others you might want to add to your schedule throughout the week."

"Thank you," Lexa said as she accepted the binder from the woman.

"Will you be attending the happy hour this evening?" The woman asked as she reached for something from a stack resting on the table.

"Yes," Lexa confirmed.

"It starts at six-thirty and will be taking place in the Wallace Presidential Banquet Hall, which is on the ground floor of the east wing," the woman rattled off as she held out a large white envelope to Lexa. "There's an alternate copy of the hotel map included in this packet that shows how to get to the banquet hall, or you can use the map you just received at check in."

"Got it," Lexa answered as she nodded her head and took the packet.

"You'll need to use your access pass to get into the happy hour," the woman said as she pointed at the badge hanging from Lexa's neck, "and there's a drink card in your packet that you can use at the bar. Appetizers will be served until nine, and any drinks exceeding the drink card limit will be charged to your hotel room."

"Anything else?" Lexa asked with a smile.

"I think that just about covers it," the woman replied with her own smile. "Enjoy the Expo, Miss Woods."

"Thank you, I will," Lexa said before she turned on her heels and made her way to the elevators.

Her room was on the twenty-sixth floor and was most likely one of the more affordable rooms in the swanky hotel, but it was nothing short of absolutely stunning inside. The décor was a mix of luxury and modern. Fine silk adorned the windows and the large four-poster bed in the middle of the room was made from the same rich mahogany wood that was ever present in the lobby below. There was a small loveseat off to the side, along with a large desk and office chair for those who needed (or wanted) to bring their work with them.

A small kitchenette was tucked against the wall just beside a beautifully carved dresser that held an impressively large TV on top of it. Lexa strolled over towards a small gift basket resting on the dark granite countertop and raised her eyebrows upon seeing a collection of expensive coffees, fruit, crackers, and a voucher for room service. A small card propped up on the inside of the basket read 'Welcome to the DC Expo, please enjoy your stay' and was stamped with the hotel's logo at the bottom.

Impressive.

What Lexa wasn't at all prepared for was the bathroom. When she peeked her head around the corner and flipped on the lights, she was met with the sight of beautifully polished marble floors that looked quite similar to the black and white floors in the lobby and a large mahogany vanity holding up a mirror with an intricately carved frame. There was a large tub and separate glass shower, and even a chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

A chandelier. In the bathroom.

Lexa shook her head and blinked a few times before heading back into her room and slipping off her shoes. She noticed her luggage tucked away in the open closet before she plopped herself down on the bed. 'Holy hell, this is a comfortable bed!' Lexa thought as she rubbed her hand over the soft fabric under her. She quickly turned her attention back to the large binder she had been given just minutes ago and flipped through her itinerary. She had given Aden a list of conferences she wanted to attend, and he had scheduled her for each one. Lexa hadn't given herself a whole lot of opportunity for down time, but this was a work trip after all and in reality she was actually quite excited to attend the lectures and hear from some of the brightest minds in the legal system during her stay.

After confirming that none of her scheduled conferences overlapped and marking a few additional lectures she might be interested in adding to her itinerary, she closed the binder and headed over to her suitcase. She wanted to take a bath, as she had mentioned for Clarke earlier through text message, before the happy hour started so that she could relax a little and unwind after her flight. She retrieved her toiletry bag and trudged into the bathroom, starting the water in the tub immediately. The room began to fill with steam, and Lexa breathed it in letting it slip down her throat and caress her lungs.

 **Lexa: Wish you were here.**

* * *

 **Lexa: Wish you were here.**

Clarke bit her lip as she let her eyes study the picture Lexa had just sent her for about the tenth time. All that was viewable in the frame was a pair of silky legs propped seductively atop the edge of a large white bathtub. The water was milky with bubble bath, and there were random clusters of bubbles along the tops of Lexa's feet and in between her toes. A few islands of bubbles floating along the top of the water obstructed all of the parts of Lexa's body that Clarke wanted to see the most, but she certainly wasn't complaining as she ogled the long legs for another few moments. What she wouldn't give to have those very legs wrapped around her right then...

Clarke cleared her throat and typed out a quick response.

 **Clarke: You and me both.**

She pictured Lexa smiling at her phone as she relaxed in her bath and felt herself form her own small smile at the thought. She placed her phone down on the small table beside her and turned her attention back to what she had been doing before it had chirped with a text message notification. Now that Octavia was living with Lincoln, Clarke had an empty bedroom in her apartment and with her newfound inspiration for painting, she decided that she might as well turn it into a makeshift studio. The wood floors could be easily protected by the large canvas drop cloth that Clarke had just purchased, and there was a large window that would provide just the right amount of light needed while she worked on her paintings.

The easel that was stuffed into the back of her closet for far too long was standing in the middle of the room, and Clarke had even bought a few small pieces of furniture like a table and organizational storage bin so that she had somewhere to set her paints and store her brushes. Clarke already had an idea in her head as to what she wanted to paint as her surprise for Lexa when she came home from her business trip, so she quickly selected a large canvas and orientated it landscape shaped on the sturdy wooden easel. The first color she reached for was a deep cerulean blue, the very color Lexa had described her eyes as being more times than she could remember.

The color streaked confidently across the taught surface, creating a sharp contrast between the emptiness of the blank canvas and the brightness of the blue now boldly clinging to it. Before Clarke made another movement, she picked up her phone and opened a music app for some additional inspiration. Listening to music while she painted was once her favorite past time, but the insanity of her schedule at the hospital when she started as an intern had slowly but surely edged out the luxury of indulging in the hobby. Now that there was a little more balance between her work life and her personal life, Clarke thought she might possibly be able to devote a bit of time each week to indulging as long as she wasn't too distracted by Lexa when she came back home, which could very likely be a possibility. There wasn't much she thought about other than her girlfriend these days, unless she was elbow-deep in a surgery at least.

Clarke grinned at the painting in front of her. It was far from being finished, but the initial layer of coloring for the background was complete and had turned out better than she'd hoped it would. There was a faint swirl of colors, shades of blue and white, at the left edge of the canvas that she couldn't wait to detail with multiple layers of paint in the days to come. The idea in her mind was coming to life in small bits and pieces right in front of her eyes, and she buzzed with excitement imagining the final product and the look on Lexa's face when she saw it. Her phone began to vibrate against the table it was resting on, breaking Clarke from her painting-induced trance before she reached for it.

"Hey stranger," Clarke said as she smiled into the phone.

 _"I haven't even been gone for one day, Clarke."_

"I know, but that doesn't mean I don't still miss you," Clarke told Lexa as she walked towards her kitchen.

The grumble in her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten dinner yet, and it was already probably too late to eat since she needed to go to bed early to be ready for her busy day at the hospital tomorrow. One of her fellow attendings had called in sick, so she offered to cover the shift knowing that the doctor who was sick would have done the same for her if the situation was reversed.

 _"What have you been up to tonight?"_

"Oh, you know..." Clarke tried to sound aloof, "a little of this, and a little of that."

 _"Well, that's rather vague."_

"Mostly just relaxing and being jealous I wasn't able to join you in the tub earlier," Clarke said. "That's something we'll definitely have to do sometime."

 _"I don't think either of the bathtubs in our apartments would fit both of us. The one at the hotel is huge."_

"Well," Clarke stalled as she tried to think of a comeback, "we would fit nicely in your standup shower."

There was silence on the line as they both contemplated that very suggestion until Clarke heard a small noise that she figured was Lexa clearing her throat before she began speaking.

 _"That might just have to be the first thing we do when I get back."_

"You think so?" Clarke teased as a smirk appeared on her lips.

 _"Definitely."_

"I guess that could be arranged," Clarke said as she reached for the last box of Chinese takeout from their celebration dinner a few days prior. "So how was your happy hour?"

 _"It was okay. A lot of people were wasted by the time I left, and I even left before it ended. Not sure how they'll fare at their morning conferences, but it's not really my problem I guess."_

"Ah, responsible drinker Lexa strikes again," Clarke said with a chuckle as she moved to place the container of food into her microwave.

 _"It's a work trip, Clarke. There's no way I'm getting drunk while I'm here."_

"Well, I probably can't say the same for myself come Saturday," Clarke said as she watched her food heat up through the little window on the appliance.

 _"What's on Saturday?"_

"Wells is having his second, and final, going away party at The Ark," Clarke told her. "He's leaving the following Monday for his new job in DC."

 _"Well, just be sure to bring along a designated driver... I don't want to have to worry about you."_

"I'll probably just walk," Clarke said as she retrieved her warm food. "I might not even drink, who knows."

 _"Ha!"_

"What, ha?" Clarke asked with a huff.

 _"Clarke Griffin not drink at a party? I'd like to see the day Clarke Griffin doesn't drink at a party."_

"You're just jealous because a single glass of wine puts you under the table," Clarke quipped as she bit a heaping mouthful of noodles off her fork.

 _"Oh, please. I can handle one glass of wine perfectly fine, and you know it."_

"Whatever, Woods," Clarke started as she chewed her food, "you just better hope that if we ever find ourselves up against each other in a game of beer pong that I'll go easy on you and let you win."

 _"If we were to ever find ourselves in that situation, which I highly doubt we would now that we've been out of college for the last five years, I would forfeit immediately. I'd probably die from alcohol poisoning."_

"Oh, shut up," Clarke interjected. "I don't drink _that_ much."

 _"The first time we made love, I checked you for a hollow leg."_

At that Clarke burst out laughing, almost choking on the small pieces of noodles still in her mouth. A few tears trickled from her eyes from laughing so hard, and it took her a minute to compose herself. She heard Lexa giggling on the other line and suddenly wished the brunette was right there with her so that she could wrap her up in a hug.

"I _almost_ just choked on my Chinese," Clarke said breathlessly.

 _"You're still eating Chinese? I told you that you ordered way too much!"_

Their conversation flowed easily, as it always did, for a while before Lexa started yawning and Clarke noticed it was well past the time she'd wanted to be in bed by. They made a plan to text each other the following morning, and bid each other goodnight. It wasn't five minutes later that Clarke found herself slumping onto her fluffy mattress and drifting off to sleep with a certain special someone eager to appear in her dreams.

* * *

"Oh my gosh," Lexa moaned as she placed her fork down beside her almost empty plate, "I am so full."

Gustus smiled in response before reaching halfway across the table before he teased, "so you won't mind if I eat your cinnamon roll?"

"No!" Lexa exclaimed quietly as she swatted his hand away. "I was saving that for last! I always have room for a cinnamon roll."

Gustus just laughed, remembering full well that she had mentioned at the beginning of their meal that she was saving the sweet pastry for last. They had met earlier than planned and arrived at the breakfast diner just as the time hit seven o'clock, which was apparently the most opportune time to arrive as they were able to be seated immediately and a steady flow of customers continued to filter in throughout their meal. Gustus had ordered the biggest meal on the menu, finishing every last bite of it before Lexa had even gotten through half of her omelet. It was the best one she'd had in a while, and she thought a few times about wanting to make her and Clarke one some morning in the near future.

"So I can tell by your face that you've spent the better part of this breakfast thinking about your girl," Gustus keenly deduced. "Why don't you tell me about her?"

"Her name is Clarke, and she's a doctor," Lexa began but quickly clarified, "a surgeon. She graduated early from med school and started as an intern at the hospital her mother works a full year ahead of her graduating class."

"Now that is impressive," Gustus said. "So her mother is a surgeon too?"

"Yes," Lexa replied. "She's one of the most sought-after cardiothoracic surgeons in the country actually."

"Well, it sounds like Clarke is following in the footsteps of a brilliant woman," Gustus offered.

"She is except that Clarke's specialty is general surgery," Lexa said as she popped a small bite of cinnamon roll in her mouth. "She's also made a name for herself in the research division of medicine."

"What does her father do?"

"He was an engineer," Lexa replied softly. "He died when Clarke was eighteen. I never had a chance to meet him."

"Well, I'm sure he was a stand-up guy to have raised such a catch," Gustus said with a wink as he tried to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, it sounds like he was pretty amazing," Lexa agreed as she took more of the gooey pastry in her mouth.

"So when and how did you two meet?" Gustus asked.

"We met in college through mutual friends," Lexa explained. "Clarke was actually dating someone at the time, so we became friends and our friends became friends and we all just kind of stuck together through the years."

"Sounds like a pretty close-knit group of people," the large man said with a smile.

"Definitely," Lexa answered. "Actually two of our friends in the group are getting married soon."

"Maybe you and Clarke will be the next," Gustus suggested with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh, I don't know," Lexa said passively as a light pink blush dusted the tops of her cheeks.

Gustus didn't want to make his client any more embarrassed than she probably already was if the color of her face was anything to go by, so he remained silent but allowed a kind smile to rest on his lips as he waited for her to speak up.

"So tell me about your time in the military," Lexa suggested. "Unless you'd rather not talk about it..."

She knew it was sometimes difficult for soldiers, both active and discharged, to speak about their experiences so she wanted to be sure to give the man an out if he wasn't comfortable talking to her about it.

"I don't mind," Gustus reassured her. "I joined the Army when I was eighteen. Most guys my age were enlisting to run away from something, but I was just eager to find more. I had a decent upbringing, my parents loved me and I loved them, but I wanted to see the world. I wanted to push myself, test my boundaries, see what I was capable of that didn't consist of junior varsity football or changing oil at the old garage down the block."

Lexa nodded and continued to nibble on her cinnamon roll as Gustus continued.

"I had an incredible mentor during my first few years in the service until he lost his life on a classified mission that we later found out was routine surveillance that went to hell when their transmission was crossed along the wrong radio channel. The unit was devastated, myself included, but I was able to remember countless words of his encouragement and used the tragedy of his death to help spur me on to bigger and better things."

"That's incredible," Lexa replied with a subtle shake of her head.

The chatted for a while longer about Gustus and his time in the military before the subject was changed, and they found themselves laughing and joking loudly in their booth until Lexa noticed her first conference was nearing. They each paid for their own meal, and Gustus drove her to the large convention center where most of the conferences and lectures were being held throughout the week.

Her first conference went by in the blink of an eye. Her mind was racing with information and her hand was cramped from taking notes, but she was in her element. There was something about political law that felt so natural to her, like she was born to practice it, so time spent listening to renowned attorneys speak about the industry and their practice was something of a gift that Lexa was sure not to take for granted. She couldn't believe her opportunity to attend such an event came so early in her career, but she couldn't have been happier about it.

The next lecture she was signed up for was being held in one of the smaller conference rooms on the other side of the building. It was an invite-only lecture, which Lexa was undoubtedly the most excited to attend out of any other presentation offered. She made her way into the room by showing her access pass, and her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on the guest of honor's name emboldened and typed in all caps on the sign leading into the room: INDRA.

She was by far one of the most fascinating political attorneys Lexa knew of, and she had followed the woman's entire career since she first became interested in law, shamelessly binge reading her books each time a new one was published. There was something that drew Lexa towards her, and she was excited to have the opportunity to hear some of her words of wisdom in person and possibly even introduce herself. Lexa was able to find a seat near the center of the room in the second row, and settled herself quickly so that she had enough time to get her notebook back out of her briefcase to hold the copious amounts of notes she knew she was about to take.

After the rest of the group found their seats, there was a small introduction before she took the stage. The woman was smiling from ear to ear and appeared so much friendlier than Lexa had ever imagined she would. The next hour and a half sped by as Lexa hastily took notes, clarified her notes with notes, and made additional notes to look up certain things when she got back to her hotel room. There was already a small line formed in front of the speaker as fellow attorneys waited anxiously to meet her. Lexa pulled out her phone and sent Clarke a quick text, knowing that she'd gushed about the woman so often that Clarke would be excited for her.

 **Lexa: I'm about to meet Indra. THE Indra.**

 **Clarke: Seriously? You are such a nerd.**

Lexa furrowed her brow at her girlfriend's playful response but knew it was true all the same.

 **Clarke: But you're a cute nerd, so I forgive you.**

 **Clarke: Don't say anything embarrassing like I'm a huge fan or I've read everything you've ever written.**

 **Clarke: Wait, did I just ruin your whole introduction speech?**

 **Lexa: You suck, and I hate you.**

She huffed out a sigh, still knowing that the blonde was just teasing her but growing increasingly nervous regardless.

 **Clarke: I thought you liked it when I suck?**

Lexa's cheeks flushed a deep crimson red as she read over Clarke's suggestive text and let out an even louder sigh.

 **Lexa: Why do I even tell you anything?**

 **Clarke: Beats me.**

The flustered brunette rolled her eyes and looked up at the rapidly decreasing line of people between her and the woman she was waiting to meet before she felt her phone vibrate again.

 **Clarke: Good luck, babe. xx**

A smile played at her lips, and Lexa shoved her phone back into her briefcase before taking a few deep breaths. She was only one person away and couldn't help her heart from beating with anticipation as they stepped aside, and she finally came face-to-face with the woman she'd just spent the last ninety minutes intently studying.

"Hi, I'm Lexa Woods," Lexa began as she extended her hand, "and I just wanted the opportunity to tell you that your lecture today was incredibly captivating."

"Well, thank you, Miss Woods," Indra replied with a warm voice as she shook the hand being offered to her. "Though I always have a hard time believing the young ones when they tell me that."

Lexa laughed quietly at the joke and dropped the woman's hand.

"Well, if you don't believe me then take my notebook's word for it," Lexa replied as she turned her notebook towards the woman to show her how many notes she had taken on her lecture.

They spoke for a while longer, making the few remaining attorneys behind Lexa huff with impatience as they waited for the two women to finally end their conversation. The older woman was impressed with Lexa, to say the least. The way the young woman spoke, the way she held herself, the way she commanded parts of the conversation and listened intently to other parts made Indra take notice.

"Are you here for the remainder of the Expo?" Indra asked politely.

"Yes," Lexa replied, "I have conferences scheduled through Sunday."

"I'm attending a benefit tomorrow evening and would love the chance to introduce you to a few of my colleagues," Indra said, "if you're interested."

"Absolutely!" Lexa heard herself exclaim before she could filter the excitement out of her voice.

"Wonderful," the older woman replied. "Here is my card. Call me this evening after you're done for the day, and I'll fill you in on the details."

"Okay," Lexa beamed, "thank you so much."

"You're very welcome," Indra said as another genuine smile crossed her face. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Lexa responded. "Have a great rest of your day."

"And you as well," Indra said.

Lexa stepped aside and gripped the business card in her hand as she made her way out of the small room and towards her next lecture. This was probably the best day of her career, ever.

* * *

"Mmm, can't we just stay in tonight?" Lincoln said as he pressed his lips against his fiancée's in a fleeting kiss. "We can see your brother anytime."

"Um, we actually can't because he lives on the opposite side of the country," Octavia started as she shifted slightly in Lincoln's lap, "and don't ever again bring up my brother while we're kissing."

Lincoln chuckled against Octavia's mouth as they continued their kiss, slowly sinking into a steady rhythm as their lips pushed and pulled against each other's for the better part of a minute. Strong hands were gripping Octavia's hips as she tried desperately not to lose herself in their kiss, knowing full well they would be late to their dinner plans with Bellamy if she did.

"Alright, we have to stop," Octavia said breathlessly just as she felt her fiancé's hands start to brush up her sides and slip under her shirt.

He let out a loud, frustrated sigh and tipped his head far enough to connect with the back of the couch as Octavia pushed herself from where she was straddling his waist. He followed her up from the couch as she tugged gently on his hand, and they walked towards the kitchen where their things laid sprawled out on the countertop. Lincoln pocketed his wallet and cell phone while Octavia pushed her cell phone into her purse before turning towards him and pulling him in for another long kiss.

"After dinner though, you're mine," she growled which sent a bolt of excitement rushing through Lincoln's body as he continued to hold her close.

They finally separated enough to hold hands and made their way out of their apartment and down the elevator to the lobby. Since the restaurant they were meeting at wasn't too far away, Lincoln and Octavia decided against hailing a cab in favor of walking. Another few blocks passed before the outside of the restaurant was visible from where they were, and Octavia watched as Bellamy opened the door and walked inside. She tried to get his attention, but they were too far away for him to notice before he slipped out of sight so they picked up their pace and hurried towards the restaurant.

"Hey, big brother," Octavia said through a wide grin as she opened her arms to greet Bellamy in a hug.

"Hey, O," Bellamy replied with a smile on his face as he returned the hug.

"Hey, man," Lincoln greeted while he extended his hand.

"Lincoln," Bellamy simply said as he shook the taller man's hand and brought him in for a one-armed hug.

They gave their reservation name to the hostess and were escorted to their table immediately. The restaurant was already starting to get busy, even this early on a Monday evening, so they were all happy to have taken the extra step to make reservations. Their waiter came to fill their glasses with water and inform them of the evening's specials before leaving the table to give them all time to look over the menu. Once they had all made their decisions, they resumed their chatter.

"So how long have you been in town for?" Octavia asked before taking a sip of her water.

"A little over a week," Bellamy stated. "I'm going through a few docs for a new case I'm heading up."

"No fucking way," Octavia exclaimed. "You finally make lead on a case and didn't tell me about it?"

"Well, the last time I saw you my mind wasn't exactly on work," Bellamy stated as he referred to the night of their surprise engagement. "Which reminds me, how's the wedding planning going?"

"Good so far," Octavia said. "I got my dress, we bought Lincoln a suit, picked our caterer..."

"I've just been smiling and nodding for the last month or so," Lincoln offered with a smile.

"Good man," Bellamy replied with a chuckle.

They fell into conversation for another few minutes before the waiter appeared and took their orders. A round of drinks were brought to the table first, each of them enjoying what they had ordered until their food came. Octavia ended up swapping half of her meal with Bellamy's because they both liked what the other had ordered more than their own, while Lincoln remained completely content with his gourmet cheeseburger and crispy French fries.

"So what juicy secrets are you digging up on giant money-grubbing companies this time?" Octavia asked her brother. "Anything worth me offering up a bribe to find out?"

"Wouldn't tell you even if I could, O," Bellamy teased with a smirk on his face. "You've never been generous enough with your bribes anyways."

"She's also never been really good at explaining your job," Lincoln piped up as he threw his napkin over his empty plate. "What is it that you actually do?"

"Well," Bellamy started after letting out a small laugh, "I work in the field operations division for a security company that investigates business fraud. The main division of the company investigates and opens cases, whereas my division works in the field, so-to-speak, gathering intel to establish the case files and puts together a picture for the case auditors to work through before eventually bringing charges on the parties involved."

"Okay, so you're... a detective essentially," Lincoln chimed in after Bellamy had finished describing his job duties.

"Yeah, you could say that I suppose," Bellamy agreed. "We're not the authorities though. We work completely independently."

"Hmm, sounds pretty amazing actually," Lincoln said as he reflected on his own job.

To say he disliked his job was a bit of an understatement, but Lincoln had never really taken the chance to try anything else out of the sheer amount of comfort his current job provided him. He was compensated fairly, given excellent medical benefits for this day in age, and had nights and weekends and holidays off. It wasn't a job he would quickly surrender unless something else just as competitive came along.

"It is," Bellamy responded. "I get to work with a team, whether I'm leading it or just a part of it, and take down shady businesses before they can ruin any _more_ lives than they already have."

Lincoln nodded his head, agreeing wordlessly that the outcome of working such cases sounded quite rewarding. He had always liked the idea of protecting people by bringing others to justice, and it sounded like Bellamy did exactly that on a daily basis.

"You know, I think you'd be a great fit for a job like mine," Bellamy directed at Lincoln. "I was actually just notified by my boss that one of our team members is retiring next month, so we have an open position to fill. Would you be interested?"

"Seriously?" Lincoln asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Bellamy replied with a nod and a smile. "It was a senior position, but one of the guys on the team will be taking a promotion leaving me to fill his position and open up an entry level position."

"It sounds amazing," Lincoln said before looking over at Octavia and adding, "but it's a job across the country."

"True," Bellamy said.

"I'd have to really talk it over with Octavia before I told you if I was seriously interested or not," Lincoln said.

"Fair enough," Bellamy answered as his gaze flicked toward his sister.

She actually looked uncharacteristically calm at the fact he had just suggested her fiancé look into applying for a job across the country, which gave him a little hope that he might actually be able to have Lincoln on his team in the near future.

"Who wants dessert?" Octavia finally broke the silence.

"I could go for some cake," Lincoln responded as his eyebrows raised upwards as if he was all of a sudden highly interested in the suggestion.

"Cake would be good," Bellamy agreed with a laugh as he noticed Lincoln's amusing expression.

Their giant piece of chocolate cake came just a few minutes later, and the three of them dug in after positioning the dessert in the middle of the small table. Octavia licked some excess frosting off her fork before remembering something she'd wanted to ask Bellamy for a while now but kept forgetting.

"Hey, Bell, before I forget," Octavia started, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Mhmm," Bellamy muttered as his attention was being captured to the last few bites of cake left on the plate.

"Will you walk me down the aisle?"

Bellamy snapped his head up from the plate and looked into the expectant eyes of his younger sister. He had never imagined having to walk anyone down the aisle at their wedding unless it was his own daughter's, and the reason behind why Octavia was asking him tugged at his heart. He knew it was most girls' dreams to have their father walk them down the aisle, but Octavia would never get to have that. She would never get to pose with her father for a picture before she revealed herself to her husband-to-be. She would never be able to spend a day with her mother, making out the guest list or having a bridal shower. He simultaneously felt heartbroken and honored to be presented with such a request and had to bite back a few tears before answering.

"Of course," he finally said though his voice betrayed him and cracked over the last word.

Octavia nodded as tears pooled at the rim of her eyes, but she didn't let any fall. They met across the table in a lingering hug before breaking away while their hands remained linked together. They looked at each other in silence for a few moments before Bellamy turned his attention back to Lincoln who was happily shoving the last of the cake into his mouth. Octavia let out a snort, and Bellamy laughed loudly when Lincoln smiled as if he was proud to have sneakily finished off the dessert when they weren't looking.

"You're a child," Octavia teased before gathering a small dollop of frosting from his cheek and licked it off her finger.

"O, please," Bellamy directed towards his sister as his face scrunched in disgust at the flirtatious exchange.

"Shut up," Octavia told him. "I'm young and in love with the most delicious man, so I literally can't help it."

Bellamy rolled his eyes and waved to the waiter for the check.

* * *

"How do I have sand in my _underwear_?" Raven exclaimed as she wiggled herself in her wheelchair and scrunched her face in discomfort.

Octavia looked up at her friend, and her eyebrows shot towards her hairline as she froze her movements while holding Raven's shoe in her hand. She was graciously emptying out her best friend's shoe and shaking out her sock after their afternoon at the beach, which Octavia initially thought was a great idea to start out their day together (thanks to Raven's day pass from the hospital) but soon came to find out that it was the worst fucking idea she'd ever had in her life. Clarke was working all day, so that left Octavia to maneuver her always-cranky best friend out of her wheelchair and into a cab and then out of the cab and back into the wheelchair when they finally reached the beach. The boardwalk only lasted for about a mile, and Raven had adamantly requested to feel the sand beneath her feet as long as they'd gone to all the trouble of going to the beach.

Well, it turns out that pushing a wheelchair through the sand isn't easy. It isn't easy at all.

Raven was cursing every time she wobbled from one side and then to the other, and Octavia was yelling at her to calm the fuck down or she was going to purposefully dump her onto the sand and leave her there to be consumed by seagulls. A slapping fight may or may not have ensued before they both settled down enough to take off their shoes and bury their feet in the warm sand for the better part of an hour. The conversation during the trek back to the boardwalk only mirrored the bickering war they'd had earlier, and Raven was quick to tell her friend that it was a stupid idea to go to the beach.

"If you think I'm about to shake sand out of your underwear, you can forget it," Octavia snapped as she shoved Raven's sock back on her foot.

" **Ouch**!" Raven yelled. "I'm in a wheelchair, remember? Please be _careful_ with the _cripple_."

"What the hell, you guys?" Clarke said as she rounded the corner of the bathroom. "The movie is almost starting!"

Clarke looked down at her friend who was shifting uncomfortably back and forth in her wheelchair, and the blonde was immediately concerned. Had something happened to her leg? Why was Octavia crouched down by her feet? Why were... Raven's shoes off?

"What's going on here?" Clarke asked as she looked between the two women.

"Raven's got sand up her ass," Octavia blurted out before her best friend could speak, "which I _thought_ might be a welcome change to the stick that's usually up there, but I guess I was wrong."

Raven kicked her leg out and connected her socked foot with Octavia's forearm and nearly knocked her off-balance and onto the grimy movie theater bathroom floor. Octavia's mouth fell open, and she smacked her friend's good leg on the shin.

"You kick pretty well for being a cripple," Octavia spat which earned her a smack to the shoulder from Raven.

"You know what–"

"Guys!" Clarke finally interjected as she pushed the two women away from each other. "Calm the fuck down and stop hitting each other!"

The sound of a flushing toilet made all three of the girls' heads snap towards the long row of stalls, and they watched in horror and embarrassment as an elderly woman casually snuck her way out of the stall and hurried past them without stopping at the sink. As soon as the woman had rounded the corner, they all burst out in laughter and didn't stop until there were tears streaming down their faces and they were clutching their stomachs. They helped Raven into the handicapped bathroom stall and waited for her to... dust herself off... before heading back into the movie theater just as the last preview had ended.

"That was epic," Raven said as she wheeled herself out of the theater doors.

"You just like seeing shit blow up," Octavia quipped as she let her hands fall to the back of Raven's wheelchair and take over pushing her down the long hallways towards the exit.

"Yeah, so?" Raven retorted, sounding like a small child.

"Ugh, I swear the love-hate relationship you guys have exhausts me," Clarke groaned as she lifted her hands to run through her hair. "It's exhausting."

"It's all in love, right sweetie-pie?" Octavia replied, directing the pet name toward her best friend.

"That's right honey-bunch," Raven replied in a baby voice and reached blindly behind her to pinch at Octavia's cheeks. When a hand slapped hers away, Clarke rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Can we go get a drink?" Raven asked hopefully as she eyed Clarke. "I need a drink."

"You can't drink, Raven," Clarke reprimanded her. "You're still taking pain killers."

Raven groaned in disgust at the blonde's rejection of her idea.

"But Octavia and I could get a drink while you watch," Clarke teased, and Octavia let out a snort.

"Or you could just pop another pain pill and be right there with us," Octavia offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Octavia!" Clarke chastised her friend for making such a suggestion.

"No, it's cool," Raven said as she tried to change the topic. "I'm tired and sore, so I should probably be getting back as much as it pains me to say it."

"Alright," Clarke agreed, and they headed outside to make the short walk back to the hospital.

Clarke fished her phone out of her purse and saw a few new notifications when she unlocked it. The first was a text message from Lexa, and the second was a missed call from Bellamy. He was probably calling to schedule something with her before he left town as Octavia had hinted he might. Clarke made a mental note of calling him back tomorrow as she let a smile fall on her lips thinking about how nice it would be to have a little one-on-one time with her friend she never got to see much of anymore.

 **Lexa: Today's lectures were a mix of awesome and boring. I just finished my daily brief and am deciding what to order for room service. Should I go with the $35 burger or the $50 pizza?**

Clarke's mouth dropped as she read and re-read the prices for the food before spotting a new text message come through.

 **Lexa: I ended up going with the $25 salad, which was delicious, but was only about the size of my fist.**

 **Clarke: Damn, that's one fancy hotel to charge that much for a tiny salad. You should send your driver out to fetch you some grub.**

 **Lexa: Drivers don't fetch, and who says grub?**

 **Clarke: Your incredibly charming girlfriend, that's who.**

 **Lexa: I miss you.**

Clarke smiled as she read the text message a few times before typing out a response.

 **Clarke: I miss you too.**

 **Clarke: Sorry I didn't respond earlier. Octavia and I brought Raven out to the movies.**

 **Lexa: No worries, Clarke. I'm sure Raven had a blast.**

 **Clarke: She did although she refuses to admit it.**

 **Lexa: Typical.**

 **Lexa: So can you talk or are you still with everyone?**

 **Clarke: We're walking Raven back to the hospital now, but I could call you later.**

 **Lexa: I'd love that, but I'm exhausted and almost falling asleep. How about we talk tomorrow morning?**

 **Clarke: It's a phone date.**

 **Lexa: Goodnight, Clarke.**

 **Clarke: Goodnight, Lexa. xx**

"You're hopeless," Octavia said to Clarke as soon as she stopped texting and started paying attention to her friends.

"What?" Clarke asked.

"Hopelessly in love," Octavia clarified.

"With Lexa," Raven chimed in as she looked up at her friend with a goofy smile on her face.

"Shut up," Clarke said dismissively and shook her head.

"You're not even _denying_ it, Clarke?" Octavia said with a gasp as she brought Raven's wheelchair to a screeching halt.

"Well... I don't... I–I don't know..." Clarke stammered at her shocked friends as they both continued to look at her with wide eyes and mouths hanging open.

"Clarke loves Lexa!" Octavia bellowed through the streets loud enough that Clarke could have sworn she heard an echo.

"Clarke and Lexa, sitting in a tree..." Raven started to sing only for Octavia to join in on the next part, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Clarke just sighed and let a tight-lipped smile fall on her face as she watched helplessly as people walked by, snickering at her friends' crazy (and extremely loud) antics. The two brunettes giggled between themselves for a while before making kissing noises until they were satisfied.

"Are you done?" Clarke asked as she let her head fall to one side in attitude.

"For now," Raven said as she shrugged and motioned for Octavia to continue pushing her.

"So, Clarke, are you seriously in love with Lexa?" Octavia questioned. "I mean, we kind of all saw it coming but... have you told her yet?"

"No," Clarke automatically responded only to snap her eyes to her friends who looked like they were about to bust out the kissing song again until they got 'the look' from the blonde. "It's too soon... isn't it too soon?"

"No way!" Raven immediately piped up.

"Not really," Octavia agreed. "Like I said the day before the cheesecake incident, you guys have known each other for years so it's natural for you to move a little fast."

"Except when it comes to the sex," Raven muttered under her breath.

"Raven!" Clarke scolded her friend.

"What?" Raven asked innocently. "You guys are so hot that I was just surprised you weren't already banging each other on the sly before this whole 'relationship' happened."

Clarke rolled her eyes partially at her friend's use of air quotes and partially at what her friend had just said.

"Why do I even talk to you guys?" Clarke weakly wondered out loud.

"What my eternally insensitive best friend is _trying_ to say is that you and Lexa have crazy chemistry," Octavia spoke up, "and it's easy to fall in love with someone who makes you spark."

"Who makes you spark?" Raven repeated as she cocked her eyebrow and looked behind her shoulder at her best friend. "How many bad rom coms have you been _watching_ lately?"

"Shut it, Reyes," Octavia snapped. "I'm trying to be sensitive and shit."

"I want to tell her, I just..." Clarke said as she wrung her hands together a few times and tried to find the right words.

"You just?" Raven asked when Clarke stopped talking.

"I just... Lexa has told me more than a few times over the years that she never expected love to find her," Clarke heard herself blurting out. "What if I say it, and she doesn't say it back?"

Raven and Octavia let out a collective laugh before Octavia spoke up.

"Lexa is so head-over-heels in love with you already, Clarke," she said as she turned herself to look at Clarke. "Can't you see that?"

"Yeah, don't let that shitty magazine article put any doubts in your mind," Raven said.

"I'm not," Clarke replied, suddenly feeling herself tense as she remembered the article that prompted her first fight with Lexa. "We're past it."

"Good because that Eva chick is a royal bitch who doesn't hold a candle to you," Octavia told her friend.

"Plus if she was into brunettes, she would have skipped Lexa and come on to me," Raven said suggestively enough to make both of her friends stop walking and stare at her.

"You haven't even met her," Clarke said.

"And you're straight," Octavia added.

Raven shrugged her shoulders and motioned for Octavia to continue pushing her once again.

* * *

 _"Good morning, Clarke."_

"Morning, babe," Clarke rasped into the phone as she slowly drew out her words.

 _"How was your night?"_

"It was nice," Clarke settled on.

She was still feeling a little excited and nervous about telling her friends that she was in love with Lexa, and hearing her voice first thing in the morning just made the cluster of butterflies in her stomach grow. Clarke rounded the corner of her apartment hallway and pushed the lobby door open, stepping out onto the street as she made her way to her favorite coffee shop before her shift at the hospital started. There was silence on the other end of the line, so Clarke spoke up again.

"How was your night?" She asked.

 _"It was fine."_

"Just fine?" Clarke gently prodded, clearly not satisfied by the short answer.

 _"Yes. I was pretty tired when I was texting you earlier and just crashed after."_

"I bet you're exhausted from all the conferences you've been running back and forth between all week," Clarke offered.

 _"I am."_

"Well, did you at least dream about me?" Clarke teased. "I've heard dream-Clarke can be very good at easing the tension after a long day."

 _"I uh, I... no, I didn't really dream about anything."_

Clarke frowned and slowed her step, suddenly feeling concerned that something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" Clarke asked her girlfriend. "You seem a little off."

There was a short pause before she heard Lexa's voice again.

 _"Nothing's wrong, Clarke."_

"Are you mad that I didn't call you last night?" Clarke asked shyly, clearly not believing there was nothing wrong.

 _"No, not at all. I was too tired to talk that late anyways. I promise nothing is wrong."_

"Alright," Clarke said as she backed off slightly.

She didn't want to push the brunette, and the chance that the craziness of her week was just catching up with her was a very real possibility.

 _"I'm glad you called, Clarke, but I should be heading out soon. I have my first conference at nine o'clock, and I still need to get dressed."_

"Okay, no problem," Clarke replied quickly. "I hope your day goes well, and feel free to text me later if you want. Or call. That would be even better because I love hearing your voice."

"Me too."

Clarke smiled a small smile.

 _"Talk to you later, Clarke."_

"Bye," Clarke said before taking the phone away from her ear and ending the call.

She eased her way past a mother and her small child standing in the middle of the sidewalk, threw them a polite smile as she passed, and pushed open the coffee shop door to be met with the familiar scent of their famous house blend roasting behind the counter. It was seldom that she changed her coffee order, so the baristas there often went straight to work making her usual the moment they saw her. Clarke flashed a smile and waved at the young man working at the large coffee machine before taking her place in line.

"Clarke?"

Clarke turned her head back at the sound of her name and regretted it the second she laid her eyes on the woman who Clarke was starting to think came straight from the depths of hell.

"Fancy seeing you here," Eva said with a small smirk as she quickly looked the blonde up and down.

"I would never have imagined I'd see you in such a humble establishment ordering coffee like the rest of us," Clarke replied, not trying too hard to cover up the sarcastic tone in her voice.

Eva narrowed her eyes slightly but decided not to question the blonde's statement. Obviously the young surgeon was trying to get a rise out of her, but that was precisely what she was there to do and didn't dare to let Clarke gain the upper hand.

"Okay, I'll come clean," Eva said as she threw her hands up in surrender. "My name is Eva Porter, and I'm a coffee addict."

Clarke let her eyebrow raise slightly defying her wishes for her face to remain emotionless but managed to keep quiet until after the brunette was done chuckling at her own (completely lame) joke. With a small purse of her lips, Clarke took a breath and opened her mouth to speak.

"I'd recommend the house blend," Clarke offered in her attempt to act civilly towards the other woman, "best in the city."

A flicker of amusement ran through Clarke's body as she saw Eva appear the tiniest bit shocked at what she'd just said to her, but it faded quickly as she regained her composure.

"Listen, Clarke, I'm actually glad I ran into you," Eva said as her demeanor became slightly more sincere. "I just wanted to personally apologize for that terrible magazine article. It sounded like it ruffled a few feathers between you and Lexa, and I certainly didn't want to be the cause of that."

Clarke immediately felt a small pang of anger hit her chest.

 _'Did Lexa tell Eva about our fight? There's no way. Has she been lying to me this whole time about how close she really is to her? No, there's no way...'_

"Anyways, I just hope the two of you really talked it over and realized that–"

"You know... I don't mean to interrupt you, Eva, but the conversations Lexa and I have _together_ are private," Clarke sternly told the woman.

"Oh, I totally understand, Clarke," the brunette stepped in and even placed a fleeting touch to Clarke's upper arm before taking her hand away immediately. "I just wanted you to know that you have absolutely nothing to worry about when I fly out to meet up with Lexa in DC later this week."

"You're – when you what?" Clarke said as her brain officially short-circuited at the information she'd just heard.

"Oh, um..." Eva stuttered a little bit as she feigned arrogance, "since there aren't any mandatory presentations on the last few days of the Expo, we thought it might be a good idea to schedule a small rally campaign in DC since I'll most likely be going for one of their senate seats after my term as city councilwoman ends."

Clarke blinked as she tried to wrap her head around everything the other woman was telling her, and it was becoming increasingly harder for her to keep her cool. It was like every time Eva opened her mouth, the next thing she said would make Clarke's blood boil even more. She tried to take calming breaths, but all it did was make her jaw clench down on itself harder and harder with each passing second.

What the _hell_ was Lexa not telling her?

"Clarke?" Eva said quietly to snap the blonde out of her thoughts. "I definitely don't want to be the cause of any more tension between you two, but by the way you're reacting I have to ask... Lexa did run this by you, right?"

Clarke had no way to answer. The woman had backed her into a corner and was ready to pounce the second she let anything come from her mouth. Should she stay silent? Should she turn around and pretend like she hadn't just had this conversation? Clarke had already said enough to make Eva aware that she had absolutely no idea the other woman would be spending who knows how many days with her girlfriend in another state. She had also inadvertently suggested that Lexa most definitely hadn't told her about this, so what the _hell_ was she supposed to say? Another few silent seconds passed before Clarke finally spoke up.

"She didn't," Clarke said and almost didn't recognize her own voice as it drowned in defeat.

"Maybe I should go..." Eva hesitated as her eyes darted around Clarke's face as if to gauge her expression, "as I've clearly put my foot in my mouth one too many times."

Clarke blinked back angry tears as she watched Eva take a step back from her.

"Take care, Clarke," she said in voice almost as defeated as Clarke's had been a second ago.

As Eva turned around to leave, she couldn't help the wicked smile that spilled over her lips as she sauntered out the door to leave a confused, angry, brokenhearted woman behind her.

 **OHHH SNAAAP!**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	17. Chapter 17

****11/24/16 EDIT: The way some readers disliked my take on Clarke's jealousy in this story has moved me to make a few changes here and there simply to bring down the intensity of her reactions slightly. None of the actual storyline has not been changed, just a bit of dialogue.****

* * *

Lexa awoke with a gasp as she felt herself jolt against the soft mattress in her hotel room. Her forehead was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and her breathing was erratic. It wasn't like she was having a nightmare, except that she kind of was. It just was unlike any nightmare she'd ever had before. When she was young, she would have nightmares about monsters coming to life under her bed while she slept. She has had nightmares about going to grade school in her underwear or oversleeping for an important final at University. She had nightmares every day for a week before she took the BAR exam which featured everything from getting lost trying to find the exam room and missing the test to accidentally showing up with cheat cards stuffed down her shirt and being kicked out of the test.

But this particular nightmare was different. It wasn't really a nightmare, except that it kind of was. In this nightmare she was... married to Clarke. _'Why the hell would that be a nightmare?'_ Lexa thought to herself as she ran the back of her hand over her slick forehead, wiping away the layer of sweat there. In her awakened state, being married to Clarke sounded like the single most wonderful thing on the planet. So why the hell was she having nightmares about it? Unable to answer those and the dozen other questions swirling through her head at that moment, Lexa decided to slip out of bed and hop into the shower hoping that a hot steam would help calm herself down.

The water sprayed softly against her cool skin, and it felt more than refreshing as she cleansed her body from the sweat and worry of the previous night's sleep. She soaked her hair under the pouring stream for several minutes, simply standing under the water and enjoying the feel of the steam wrapping around her body and hugging her close. She breathed it in and finally reached for her shampoo to begin her normal routine.

As soon as she got out of the shower, Lexa started to work on her hair. She knew she had to blow dry it otherwise there was no way it would dry before her first conference at nine o'clock. She put a few loose curls in it, draped it over her shoulder, and gave it a quick spray. Her makeup was applied very shortly thereafter, and she found herself walking back into the bedroom to figure out what she should have for breakfast. She tightened the belt on her robe and sat down on the bed, looking over the room service menu. There wasn't enough time to order–

The sound of a vibrating phone against the bedside table brought Lexa out of her thoughts about breakfast, and she reached over to see who was calling. Clarke. Lexa felt a rush of nervousness run through her, still feeling confused as to why she was feeling uneasy about her dream, and answered the phone politely.

"Good morning, Clarke," Lexa softly said into the phone.

 _"Morning, babe."_

"How was your night?" Lexa asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

 _"It was nice. How was your night?"_

"It was fine," Lexa said as her mind started to panic as the intensity of her dream came rushing back into her memories again.

 _"Just fine?"_

"Yes," Lexa replied quickly. "I was pretty tired when I was texting you earlier and just crashed after."

 _"I bet you're exhausted from all the conferences you've been running back and forth between all week."_

"I am," Lexa replied. It was the truth, but she had other things on her mind currently that were making it hard for her to concentrate on much of anything.

 _"Well, did you at least dream about me? I've heard dream-Clarke can be very good at easing the tension after a long day."_

"I uh, I... no," Lexa stuttered as the topic of dreams came up, "I didn't really dream about anything."

 _"Are you okay? You seem a little off."_

Lexa paused and swallowed thickly before opening her mouth to speak.

"Nothing's wrong, Clarke," Lexa said in her most convincing voice she could manage.

 _"Are you mad that I didn't call you last night?"_

A small pang of guilt ran through the brunette's chest when she heard Clarke sounding quite concerned that she'd done something wrong.

"No, not at all," Lexa tried to quickly ease her mind. "I was too tired to talk that late anyways. I promise nothing is wrong."

 _"Alright."_

"I'm glad you called, Clarke, but I should be heading out soon," Lexa said as she walked over to her closet to pull her outfit for the day off the hanger. "I have my first conference at nine o'clock, and I still need to get dressed."

 _"Okay, no problem. I hope your day goes well, and feel free to text me later if you want. Or call. That would be even better because I love hearing your voice."_

"Me too," Lexa said with a small smile on her lips. "Talk to you later, Clarke."

 _"Bye."_

Lexa ended the call and let out a long sigh. She could tell that Clarke knew something was off, which is exactly why the blonde had asked if anything was wrong. Of course it was nothing that was Clarke's fault, it was her own stupid reaction to her dream that Lexa's brain had somehow turned into a nightmare without her permission that was flustering her. Another sigh escaped her lips as she buttoned the crisp white dress shirt over her chest and tucked it into the black pencil skirt she'd slipped up her legs just moments before. She quickly slipped the lanyard with her access pass around her neck and grabbed her black blazer off the hanger it was on in the hotel closet.

Her heels clicked on the black and white marble floors in the lobby as Lexa made her way over to the concierge desk. She hadn't had time to order anything for breakfast, but she knew there was no way she would make it through her first three conferences without eating anything. The man behind the desk directed her to the hotel's small convenience store where Lexa quickly gathered a steaming cup of coffee in a to-go cup, a granola bar, and a banana. It wasn't much, but it would certainly tide her over until her lunch break later in the day.

"Good morning, Lexa," Gustus greeted her as she walked through the large glass lobby doors and directly towards the large black sedan waiting for her outside.

"Morning, Gustus," Lexa replied with a small smile.

She slid into the back seat of the car slowly, careful not to wrinkle her skirt or blazer draped across her forearm. Today was the last day of mandatory conferences for her to attend, which Lexa was partly grateful for. She had taken so many notes over the last few days that the bones in her hand ached every time she curled her fingers around her pen. But the briefs she had been instructed to write up for her boss were so detailed that Lexa couldn't help but pat herself on the back, figuratively speaking of course, after she had finished each one. She was sure Mr. Jones would be impressed, and hopefully he would feel inclined to send her to the Expo again next year even if it was to accompany him.

 **Anya: Heard you were in DC for some official lawyer business.**

Lexa's heart jumped in her chest at the sight of her friend's text message on her phone screen. Anya was still overseas, carrying out her duty in the Army during her latest deployment, and it wasn't often that she had the downtime to text or call her friends back home. With a smile on her face, Lexa quickly typed out a response in her own text.

 **Lexa: Finally made it to the DC Expo, and it has been amazing.**

 **Anya: There's something I wanted to tell you when you have time.**

 **Lexa: Are you okay?**

 **Anya: Yep, it's nothing bad. It's good actually. Really good.**

 **Lexa: I have lectures scheduled from 9am-1pm, then again from 2pm-5pm.**

 **Anya: I'll give you a call tonight. Have fun, nerd.**

 **Lexa: You don't have to tell me twice.**

Lexa chuckled to herself and put her phone away before glancing up to see Gustus concentrating on the road. She knew she was a nerd when it came to her job, but she didn't care. She had found something she loved that earned her a decent living, and she was determined to soak up every new opportunity she could throughout the course of her career. There were so many people in the world who hated their jobs, and she'd be damned if she didn't appreciate that fact that she loved her job. The sound of her own stomach grumbling finally snapped Lexa back into reality, and she started to make quick work of her breakfast before she arrived at the convention center.

As her car pulled up to the front of the building, Lexa quickly dusted her fingertips across her lips to make sure no crumbs from the granola bar had accidentally been left, and she did her best to check her white shirt for them as well. When she was convinced that she looked presentable, she grabbed her trash in one hand and her coffee in the other after she threaded her briefcase onto her right forearm and her blazer across her left and finally stepped out of the car. Gustus chuckled and offered to dispose of her garbage, which Lexa adamantly refused because banana peels were gross and she didn't want him to have to hold her mess, but he did end up helping her by holding her coffee cup and briefcase as she shrugged herself into her blazer. They bid each other a good day, and Lexa took off toward the front doors.

The first round of the day's lectures were incredible, according to Lexa, as she chatted with a few other lawyers while they sat around and nibbled on their lunches. She relished in the moments when she got to meet her peers and loved hearing their stories about past clients. Not everyone attending the Expo were political lawyers, and since the fields of law that the guest speakers lectured on ranged from political law to criminal defense law to civil rights law and everything in between, there was a wide spectrum of differing experiences just waiting to be shared. As the rest of the day's conferences dwindled to an end, Lexa felt herself in desperate need of a bit of relaxation before diving into preparation of what she could only guess would be the most lengthy brief of the week thus far.

"Hey, An," Lexa smiled into the phone as she stepped inside her hotel room and turned to lock the door.

 _"Miss me yet?"_

"Always," Lexa answered automatically.

She loved her friend and secretly dreaded every time she was deployed, knowing that she was probably facing the most dangerous of situations on a daily basis. Anya had more than proven herself as being capable during her time in the military, but it didn't make Lexa worry less. She kicked off her shoes and padded her way over to the large desk tucked away at the edge of her room and set her briefcase down on the surface.

 _"Glad to know you haven't forgotten about me yet."_

"Anya," Lexa warned as if to imply that she could never forget the other woman no matter what the circumstances of their separation. "So what did you want to tell me?"

 _"Right, so..."_

Lexa hung her blazer in the closet and made her way over to the bed where she jumped up onto it and sank her body down into the fluffy blankets, still wearing her skirt and dress shirt. Her feet dangled over the side of the bed, and she moved her hand up to run fingers through her hair as she splayed it out on the mattress below her.

 _"I put in for a transfer, and it just went through a couple days ago."_

"A transfer?" Lexa questioned, not quite sure what that meant.

 _"I finally decided to take a step back and get myself a desk job."_

"Seriously?" Lexa nearly exclaimed as her eyes widened in surprise.

 _"Seriously. It's time. I've seen too much shit."_

Lexa nodded in silence, knowing that her friend couldn't see her but did it nonetheless. She knew Anya had been through a lot –a lot before her career in the Army and a lot during her career in the Army– but she had always been completely supportive of whatever decision Anya made in regards to her function in the military. Whatever made her happy, made Lexa happy. It was all Lexa wanted her friend to feel after having experienced such a terrible childhood.

"Wow, that's a huge decision," Lexa started, "but I'm really happy for you."

 _"Thanks. I think it will do me well to get myself a nine-to-five... maybe even find a wife someday soon."_

"Okay, who are you and what have you done to Anya?" Lexa teased through her laughter.

 _"HWe're not getting any younger here, Lex. Gotta put a ring on it before we pass our prime."_

"We're not that old," Lexa retorted. "Well, _I'm_ not at least. You on the other hand–"

 _"Fuck off, Woods."_

Lexa laughed at her friend's sudden interruption and waited for her to speak again.

 _"Speaking of wives, how's yours?"_

"Clarke is not my wife," Lexa replied as she suddenly flashed back to memories of her dream the previous night.

 _"Not yet."_

Lexa opened her mouth to respond, but no matter how hard she tried to speak nothing came out. Anya waited for another few seconds before piping up again.

 _"Is there something you're not telling me?"_

"No, I..." Lexa started, "I had–I just..."

 _"Just ppit it out, woman!"_

"I had a dream," Lexa finally managed. "Last night."

 _"Okay, and?"_

"It's stupid really," Lexa tried to act as if it didn't bother her. "It was just a dream that Clarke are I were married, and the only reason I had it was because my driver, Gustus, was teasing me about it earlier at breakfast. So it's not like it _meant_ anything..."

 _"Okay, information overload. You have a driver?"_

"Yes, for the Expo," Lexa confirmed.

 _"A driver named Gustus?"_

"Yes," Lexa repeated.

 _"A driver named Gustus who you eat breakfast with?"_

"Yes, Anya, it's not that big of a deal," Lexa said.

 _"Well, excuse me for not knowing what's normal for 'life with a chauffeur,' Miss High and Mighty."_

Lexa huffed out a sigh, not really wanting to banter back and forth with her friend about this because she was still too busy worrying about the fact that her dream being married to Clarke had actually been a nightmare that she still wasn't sure why it had been.

 _"So back to the dream... was it a good dream? And spare me the details of the honeymoon please."_

"It was... I woke up in a sweat," Lexa said and quickly clarified, "panicking."

 _"Panicking? So you don't want to marry Clarke?"_

"No, I do... I mean..." Lexa stammered before taking another deep breath, "I just... never pictured myself being married to anyone."

 _"So don't marry her then."_

"But I want to!" Lexa almost shouted. "I mean... it's not that I _want_ to... right now... it's just that I don't _not_ want to."

 _"So... okay."_

"Okay, what?" Lexa asked for clarification.

 _"Okay, just be what you are with her and nothing more until the time is right. Maybe it will change, maybe it won't but you'll only make yourself crazy if you keep obsessing about it."_

"I'm not obsessing about it," Lexa quickly defended herself.

 _"Yeah, if I know anything about you then I know you're obsessing about it."_

Lexa opened her mouth to respond again but was cut off by Anya.

 _"Have you guys even talked about marriage?"_

"No," Lexa answered.

 _"So maybe it's not something she even wants. There's way too many unknowns to start freaking out over."_

"You're right," Lexa finally heard herself agree.

And she _was_ right. She and Clarke hadn't even shared their I love you's so who knows what her thoughts were on marriage... especially to her. Being involved in a romantic relationship with someone she truly and deeply loved more than anything in the world was completely new to Lexa, and she often felt overwhelmed with the pressure of it. She truly believed there was nothing she wouldn't do to ensure her future with Clarke, but her complete lack of experience in that kind of a relationship was somewhat terrifying.

 _"Have you finally admitted to yourself that you love her at least?"_

"Yes," Lexa said as a shy smile crept over her lips.

 _"Alright, that's progress."_

"I'm going to tell her when I get back," Lexa confessed. "I've wanted to for a while but didn't want to do it too soon."

 _"Lex, it's never too soon to tell someone you love them. Trust me, I've seen too many soldiers miss their chance. If you love her, then tell her. Right away."_

"I will," Lexa replied softly.

 _"And don't let any more nightmares about making Clarke your old ball and chain get to you."_

"Old ball and chain?" Lexa asked as she quirked an eyebrow.

 _"Yeah, you know... the old ball and chain, your main squeeze, you slampiece, your–"_

"Ugh, Anya!" Lexa shouted out at the last thing her friend had said. "That's disgusting, and please stop now!"

 _"Alright, alright, keep your panties on. I should actually get going anyways, but thanks for being supportive because... I'm nervous."_

"I know," Lexa told her friend, "it would be abnormal if you weren't."

 _"And all these years here I thought I_ _ **was**_ _abnormal."_

"Nope, just special," Lexa teased her friend, smiling when she heard Anya laugh on the other line.

 _"Alright, I'll talk to you later."_

"Okay. I love you, Anya," Lexa said as she remembered her friend's words from minutes ago.

 _"I love you too, Lex."_

Lexa smiled as she brought the phone down from her cheek and ended the call. Anya was so right about seizing the opportunity to tell the people you cared about that you love them, and Lexa felt encouraged about finally taking her opportunity with Clarke when she got back home. She really didn't want to tell her over the phone, although she briefly considered it while Anya was talking, but she wanted to see Clarke's face when she did say it. She wanted it to be as special as she could make it because a love like she had for Clarke was the kind of love that only came around once in a lifetime.

 **Lexa: Can't stop thinking about your beautiful face. I miss you.**

She imagined Clarke smiling as she read the text, and her own mouth turned up as she remembered how it felt when her girlfriend would smile at her and make the rest of the world fade away. After lying on the bed for a few moments waiting for a reply, Lexa pushed herself up and began to rid herself of the remaining pieces of her business suit in order to get more comfortable in her sleep clothes. She situated herself at the large desk in her room and emptied her briefcase as she prepared to begin her daily brief and made sure that her cell phone was sitting right next to her. She was eagerly awaiting a response from Clarke, but little did she know that a response wouldn't be coming through.

* * *

 **Lexa: Can't stop thinking about your beautiful face. I miss you.**

Clarke's heart dropped for the dozenth time as she read over the text message she'd received last night. She had gone through pretty much every ugly reaction and emotion after her run-in with Eva Porter during which she'd been not-so-graciously told that Lexa was expecting to rendezvous with her in Washington DC later that week, which of course Lexa had conveniently forgotten to tell her about. Some time had passed since the magazine article was published featuring what appeared to be her girlfriend cheating on her with another woman (who just so happened to be Eva, the very spawn of Satan himself), but Clarke couldn't help but struggle with the idea that Eva meeting Lexa while she was out of town and Lexa seemingly forgetting to tell Clarke about it had something to do with the possibility that there just might be something more to the story.

 **Lexa: Good morning! I hope you had a nice night last night, and I hope you have a great day today. I'll be thinking about you. Always.**

A pang of guilt pierced through Clarke's chest as she read the new text message that just popped up on her phone. She hated not talking to Lexa, but there were so many feelings running through her that she just couldn't bring herself to pretending that everything was okay. She also didn't want to have a fight with Lexa in the middle of their busy days, knowing their conversation would probably get cut short and leave more than enough unanswered questions still lingering between them. Clarke shoved her phone back into the pocket of her lab coat with a loud sigh and turned her attention to making herself a cup of coffee. The hospital had finally added a Keurig machine in the staff lounge, which meant that Clarke could finally make herself a decent cup of coffee while she was working. She slid the paper cup into the gap in the machine and pressed the 'brew' button.

"Good morning," Abby said with a smile as she walked through the lounge door and approached her daughter.

"Morning," Clarke replied with a weak smile on her face.

"You are quite the busy bee this week," Abby said as she opened the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of water. "Two double-shifts in the last three days?"

"Yeah," Clarke offered in a small voice.

"Is everything okay?" The older woman asked as she eyed her daughter, sensing that something wasn't quite right.

"I'm just trying to keep busy," Clarke said as she forced a smile onto her lips.

"When does Lexa get back?" Abby asked before taking a sip from her water bottle.

"Um... Sunday I think," Clarke replied as she blinked her eyes a few times and refocused on the coffee streaming into her cup. "I mean, as far as I know."

"How's it going for her there? I bet she's having a blast," Abby said. She was impressed when earlier in the week Clarke had told her how big of a deal it was for Lexa to be going to the Expo at such a young age.

"Yeah, I think so," Clarke answered, clearly distracted by her thoughts.

"Clarke," Abby said as she placed her hand gently on her daughter's arm, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom," Clarke responded immediately as she grabbed her cup of coffee. "I just don't really want to talk about Lexa right now."

Abby raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised to have heard Clarke say what she did. Her motherly instincts kicked in before she could stop them, and she heard herself quickly speaking up again.

"If you two are having a fight, and you need to talk about it..."

"We're not having a fight," Clarke snapped before calming quickly and adding, "not yet at least."

Just as Abby was about to respond, Clarke quickly interrupted her.

"I need to scrub in on my next surgery in a few minutes, so I should get going."

"Okay," Abby relented, "just come find me if you need to talk."

Clarke flashed her mother a tight-lipped smile and nodded once before turning on her heels and heading out of the lounge. Another sigh found its way out of her lungs as she marched down the long hallway towards the nurse's station. She wanted to take a few minutes going over the patient's chart before the surgery just to make sure she hadn't missed anything. It was a ritual of sorts that Clarke did before she scrubbed in for every one of her surgeries, and she wasn't about to change it any time soon.

"Hey, Clarke," Harper chirped from behind the desk as she flashed her trademark smile at the blonde.

"Hey, Harper," Clarke replied as she forced her own weak smile onto her face.

"What's up?" The younger girl asked. "You look especially pissed at the world today."

"I am," Clarke said as she raised her eyebrow in a challenge.

"Oh," Harper said as she appeared to be a little taken back by Clarke's bluntness at first. "Well, I guess I should warn you not to visit your friend Raven today then. She's been wheeling herself around all morning just _looking_ to pick a fight."

"Why?" Clarke asked as she turned her attention down to the patient chart in her hands.

"Who knows?" Harper said with a shrug. "But I'm just saying you two might murder each other if you're in the same room for more than a minute."

Clarke remained silent for a few seconds before putting the chart down on the counter top and looking up at Harper.

"Well that sucks because we have an hour of PT together later," Clarke rattled off, "so keep a trauma room open for us, will you?"

Harper raised her eyebrows and watched as the blonde doctor pursed her lips and walked away. She let out a low whistle and rolled her eyes before sliding the discarded chart across the counter top and proceeded to file it away. Clarke walked towards the operating room and situated her surgical cap on her head, pushing a few stray pieces of her curly blonde hair under the thin fabric and away from her eyes. She mentally cursed herself for thinking about Lexa, obsessively thinking about Lexa, and her infuriating encounter with Eva Porter in the coffee shop. Immature thoughts started flaring off in her mind like _'how dare she come to MY coffee shop and talk about MY relationship with MY girlfriend'_ and _'now my favorite place to get coffee has been tainted by the devil herself'_ , and Clarke heard herself huff... like an indignant child.

"Griff, how'd you get so lucky to be on another surgery with me today?" Wells teased with a huge smirk on his face. "Can't get enough of these magic hands?"

Clarke coughed out a strained laugh and rolled her eyes. "Yep, gotta exploit them while I can..."

"I feel so," Wells started before pausing dramatically for emphasis, "used."

"You like it, don't lie," Clarke teased back as she began scrubbing in at the large sinks just outside of the operating room.

"Only with you, Clarke Griffin," Wells replied with another smile.

The two continued to wash their hands and chatting idly until it was time to walk into the operating room and get started on the procedure. Their patient was a healthy young _single_ man (which Clarke knew for a fact after having to turn down his clumsy come-ons during each of her consultations with him) who happened to have an ectopic kidney which was causing more issues for his health the older he got. When he finally brought himself in for a checkup to figure out just what was causing him recurring abdominal pain, it was only a week later that he found himself on a bed in front of Dr. Clarke Griffin as she confidently explained the details of the surgery she would be performing on him.

"Scalpel," Clarke called out after she got the approval from the anesthesiologist that the operation may commence.

The young blonde surgeon expertly ran the sharp blade along the soft skin of the patient's back, directly over where the problem kidney was located. An ultrasound just before the operation started had confirmed the exact location of it, and with a few short swipes Clarke was able to find it easily. She called for suction as a small amount of blood came seeping out of the wound, and she continued with her steps just as she had practiced them countless times during past surgeries and had studied them countless times as a med student.

"Clamp," Clarke called out her next tool as she blindly lifted a bloody gloved-hand to receive it.

Fellow surgeons, surgical techs, and anesthesiologists were bustling around the operating room in a calm chaos as their training and expertise lead them to each of their next tasks, all working together like a well-oiled machine. The vital sign monitor was beeping at a steady rate, signaling that the patient was stable and not in distress, and Clarke oftentimes found it as a comforting melody during her surgeries. Her eyes squinted as she moved her tools around the patient's incision and deftly inserted the clamp at the precise location it needed to be.

"Twelve blade," Clarke said as she kept her gaze focused on the patient and waited for the blade to be placed in her hand.

The next step in the procedure was the detachment, and Clarke was ready for it. She'd been thinking about each step as she went and was confident that she'd done everything by the book. The moment the kidney was removed was the moment the once clear cavity Clarke had been just working in started rapidly filling with blood. The monitor hooked to the patient began to beep at an increased pace, and Clarke felt a subtle tightening in her chest as her eyes rapidly assessed the patient below her. She called for additional suction and gauze as she strained to see what was happening in the cavity still consistently filling back up with blood.

 _'Did I nick an artery? Did I puncture an organ? Did I cut too deep?'_

Clarke's mind was sent into overdrive as her co-workers scurried around her, quickly obeying each one of her commands. She heard Wells yell that the patient was bleeding out, and Clarke continued to do everything she could possibly think of. After countless minutes of searching and sopping had passed, the decision was finally made to call the time of death. After clearing her throat loudly, Clarke called out the time with a steady professional voice before turning away from the patient and forcefully ripping off her blood-stained gloves. She threw them into the trash can as she exited the operating room to scrub out. She clenched her jaw as she washed the blood from her skin, watching as the patient was covered with with a blanket and the room was being cleaned.

What the fuck just happened?

The walk back to the employee locker rooms seemed to drag on longer than it ever had. It wasn't the first time she'd lost a patient, and it most certainly wouldn't be the last, but it didn't make when it happened any less difficult. Clarke halted her step for a split second and turned to her left, swinging open the door to a medical supply room and slipping inside. Tears immediately spilled from her eyes, and she clenched her jaw while her hands gripped the side of a large metal shelving unit at the back of the room. Her breath caught in her throat as sobs began to wrack her body, and soon enough her arms were shoving against the shelf in time with her crying. With one final shove that sent a few boxes flying to the floor, Clarke steadied her breathing and wiped her tears. She had to hold it together long enough to change out of her blood-stained scrubs and address the family. Another heart-wrenching duty of being a surgeon.

"We'll be running some additional tests," Clarke explained in a somber tone, "and I'll be sure to inform you of anything we find as soon as possible."

She was blinking back tears as she finished explaining to her former patient's mother and younger sister that their son and brother would never be coming home again. He would never be able to spend the holidays with them. He would never be able to give his mother her first grandchild. He would never be able to tease his sister on her prom night. He would never be able to make them laugh, or hold them as they cried, or tell them he loved them. Of course she didn't say all of those things to them explicitly, but conversations like these always implied as much.

The rest of Clarke's day went by in a blink of an eye until she found herself walking out of the elevator and towards Raven's hospital room. She tightened her messy bun at the base of her neck and straightened her scrub top before rounding the corner and knocking quietly on Raven's door. She pushed it open at the sound of a grunt and looked immediately over at her friend who was lying motionless on the hospital bed and staring blankly up at the television.

"Ready for PT?" Clarke asked with a voice lacking its usual bubbly tone.

She had always tried to make physical therapy sessions as light-hearted as she could for the sake of her friend, but after the tragic events earlier in the day combined with her other thoughts about Lexa and Eva, she just couldn't bring herself up to it. After receiving nothing in response, Clarke reached for the wheelchair and started pulling it over towards Raven's bed.

"Are you not ready or are you just giving me the silent treatment?" Clarke asked as she eyed her friend.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Raven snapped, "I'm always ready. There's nothing I'm more ready for than PT. Every day. For the rest of my fucking life."

Clarke blinked at the harshness in Raven's tone and watched the as the brunette flipped the TV remote onto the bedside table and turned herself so that her legs dangled over the side of the bed.

"You're not going to be in therapy for the rest of your life," Clarke started as she brought the wheelchair closer to the bed, "how many times do I have to tell you that?"

"How about one more time, since I just can't seem to hear it enough," Raven snapped again as she prepared herself to move into the wheelchair.

"Well _excuse_ me for trying to be encouraging," Clarke retorted as she felt herself start to get irritated at the clipped statements she was getting from Raven.

"Let's just get this over with," Raven mumbled as she reluctantly grabbed a hold of Clarke's hand and rotated herself completely around before dropping herself into the wheelchair.

"Fine," Clarke grumbled in response as she made their way out the door.

To say that Raven was grumpy during that evening's physical therapy session would be the understatement of the year –no– the century. Every time she opened her mouth to speak, a biting comment came tumbling out that she didn't hesitate to direct at either Clarke or Marcus. They were both doing their absolute best to hold their tongues, but by the end of the hour Clarke could feel herself quickly unraveling as the last few threads of her patience wore thin.

"Damn, Clarke, maybe you could ease up on the race car theatrics for a second to remember that I'm in pain," Raven scolded as Clarke wheeled her quickly around the corner and into her room.

"I wasn't pushing you any faster than I normally do," Clarke replied as she closed the gap between them and the hospital bed.

"Which is why you shouldn't act so surprised to hear me telling you to slow the fuck down for the thousandth time," Raven harshly quipped as she braced herself on the armrests of her wheelchair while Clarke turned her into position.

"Maybe if you didn't snap my head off every time you open your mouth, I'd care a little more about the pace I'm going," Clarke replied as she took Raven's hand forcefully and started helping her onto the bed.

"You _could_ care more about something if you actually tried," Raven mumbled plenty loud enough for Clarke to hear, and that was the last straw. She pursed her lips and quickly finished depositing her friend onto the bed, rather unceremoniously, and pulled back to shoot the girl a look of absolute defeat.

"I don't know what you want from me!" Clarke shouted, quickly getting the attention of the grumpy girl in front of her. "I've done nothing but support you through this entire process – _before_ you had the surgery, _while_ you had the surgery, _after_ you had the surgery – and all of the sudden all I'm doing is being criticized by you with every fucking word that comes out of your mouth!"

Raven's eyes widened and her expression softened with each passing second Clarke continued on her rant, watching as the young surgeon began to fall apart right in front of her eyes.

"You asked for understanding when you decided to wear the brace for the rest of your life, and I did that. You asked for support when you decided to get the surgery, and I did that," Clarke continued as she wildly gestured her shaking hands towards herself for emphasis while tears began spilling from her eyes, "I've been here for every one of your therapy sessions for the last month, helping you, encouraging you... loving you so much it makes my heart _ache_ every time I have to see you in pain, and all you can do is sit there and tell me that I'm not capable of caring more about something if I tried!"

Raven's own tears began to slip down her cheeks as she barely managed to breathe while feeling the conviction of Clarke's words pierce through her chest like a knife.

"Well, you know what?" Clarke screamed, "I _can't_ care any more about you because I care about you _so_ much I don't know how to care any more than I already do!"

The room was suddenly silent until Clarke let out a strangled sob before turning on her heels and walking out of the room and slamming the door behind her. The second the blonde was out of sight, Raven crumbled into her bed and sobbed as she held her head in her hands. She was humiliated at how she'd been acting that day and absolutely crushed that she'd made one of her best friends fall apart with her own words, and suddenly the pain in her leg didn't even compare to the pain in her heart.

With three hours left to go in her double-shift, Clarke had to try to pull herself together once again before she could go home to crash and attempt not think about anything else that had been upsetting her. The fact that her last duty of the night consisted of a checkup with a patient whom she had successfully rid of a threatening pre-cancerous tumor was the only thing keeping her spirits lifted high enough to not let herself break down again that night. Her apartment was dark, cool, and completely silent when she opened the door and slowly stepped inside. Her sound of her keys clattering against the hard surface of her kitchen counter top reverberated in her ears painfully, which left her wincing like she often did on the mornings after a wild night out.

She drifted over to the refrigerator and pulled out a cold beer, snapping the cap off and taking a long drag from the bottle. Another sip followed by another sip left the bottle empty in less than a minute, and Clarke dove back into her fridge for another after carelessly dropping her first empty bottle into her sink with a defeated flop of her wrist. The second bottle was nearly half gone when she started trudging towards her bedroom, eager for the night to finally consume her. As she fell limply onto her bed, she pulled out her phone immediately noticing an unopened text message and moved her finger to tap on the notification.

 **Lexa: I haven't heard from you today, so I hope you are okay and just busy. Call me when you get home, no matter what time it is. I miss you.**

And although she thought she'd cried out every last tear left in her body, her eyes began to blur and that all-too-familiar pang in her chest returned as she read and re-read her girlfriend's words on the bright screen in front of her face. She sniffled and wiped the back of her hand against her cheeks before she felt her phone vibrating.

 _Incoming Call: Lexa_

With an uneasy sigh, Clarke weakly pushed her phone a few feet away from her pillow on the mattress and listened as the vibrating continued for another few seconds before stopping altogether, and it was no sooner than the blonde was closing her eyes that she was drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

Lexa woke gradually as her subconscious fought to keep her under the heavy blanket of sleep, somehow knowing that she wasn't ready to face a new day. Within the next passing minutes though, Lexa had fully roused and the cloudiness of her dreamlike state. She felt herself pressing firmly into the mattress as the hotel room sheets were wound tightly around her like she had been tossing and turning throughout the night. Her hands went quickly to the bedside table where she'd left her phone after turning the ringer on high, hoping that she would have gotten a call from Clarke at some point while she was sleeping.

A feeling of disappointment quickly washed over her as she noticed there were no missed calls or text messages, but it was quickly replaced by a feeling of concern when she realized it had been more than a day nice she had heard from Clarke. Without giving it another thought, she clicked through her logs and swiped over Clarke's name and lifted the phone to her ear in time to hear the first ring on the other line. It rang for what seemed like minutes before flipping over to her voicemail. She cleared her throat of any fatigue while Clarke's voice rattled off the rules of leaving a message, and she began to speak after the beep.

"Hey Clarke, it's me. I didn't hear from you yesterday, and I'm kind of starting to worry... so... give me a call when you have a chance so that I know you're okay. I miss you."

She ended the call and sighed, wondering why it was seeming to be so difficult to get a hold of the blonde all of a sudden. There was a level of anxiety churning inside of her that she'd never felt before, but then again she'd never had questioned Clarke's safety before either. After another few seconds of worrying, Lexa decided to check in with her other friends to see if they knew whether Clarke was okay or not.

 **Lexa: Have you heard from Clarke lately?**

 **Raven: She nearly murdered me after my PT session yesterday.**

 **Lexa: Why?**

 **Raven: Long story, but I would have deserved it.**

 **Raven: She hasn't been checking in with you?**

 **Lexa: I didn't hear from her at all yesterday, I was starting to worry.**

 **Raven: I'll tell her to text you if I see her tonight.**

 **Lexa: You don't have a therapy session scheduled?**

 **Raven: I do, just not sure if she still wants to murder me or not.**

 **Raven: Did you guys have a fight or something?**

 **Lexa: Not that I'm aware of.**

 **Raven: Well, I'll tell her you're worried. If I see her.**

 **Lexa: Thanks, Raven. Hope you're feeling okay :)**

 **Raven: I'm feeling great after my little reality check last night.**

 **Raven: Thanks for asking. I appreciate you guys more than you know.**

 **Lexa: We know. Talk to you later.**

 **Raven: Later gator.**

Lexa felt a small smile pull at her lips as she read Raven's last text message before pushing herself off the bed and towards the bathroom. She got herself ready in record time even though she stopped to check her phone what seemed like every minute just in case she had somehow missed a call from Clarke. The muffled sounds of hotel guests leaving their rooms for the day made their way into Lexa's room while she busied herself getting dressed. Today was her first day of non-mandatory conferences, but she still wanted to look as professional as ever while she enjoyed listening to all of the guest speakers she'd signed up to listen to that day. She decided on wearing her simple gray dress and one of her more stylish black blazers that had a three-quarter length sleeve and dark gray stitching that matched her dress perfectly. She finished the outfit with a thick silver bracelet and a pair of black heels before she grabbed her briefcase and headed out of her hotel room.

As she neared the lobby, she felt her phone vibrating in her hand and nearly jumped for joy at the sensation thinking that Clarke was finally calling her. What she was not expecting to see was Aden's name and cell phone number written across her screen. They had shared their direct numbers with each other immediately upon Aden's hiring, but it was rare that the two ever used them to get a hold of one other.

"Good morning, Aden," Lexa greeted her assistant politely.

 _"Good morning, Lexa. I don't think I have a lot of time, so let me try and quickly explain..."_

Lexa's brow furrowed in confusion as she listened to her assistant ramble on quickly and rather nervously. Instead of questioning him, she slowed her pace and waited for him to continue.

 _"I just got off the phone with Mr. Jones, and he told me that Eva Porter is on her way to DC to meet you."_

"Wha– to meet me?" Lexa heard herself say in response. "Why?"

 _"Apparently she talked him into agreeing to allow you to accompany her on a low-key rally campaign to help get her name out into the community before she runs for a senate seat next term."_

"Wh–what... why did it have to be scheduled during the Expo?" Lexa asked. "I still have conferences to attend."

 _"All I know is that Mr. Jones thought it was a great idea, and that the timing couldn't be better, and that the woman knows how to ride a wave while it's hot."_

"What does that even mean?" Lexa said as she grew increasingly close to the lobby.

 _"Beats me."_

"So," Lexa started as she huffed out an exasperated sigh, "did he tell you how to go about cancelling my conferences then? I can't just _not_ show up."

 _"He did, and I'm working on it as we speak... I'm sorry, Lexa."_

Lexa heard the remorse in Aden's voice as he apologized, knowing that the young man was well aware of how excited she was to have been able to spend an entire week at the prestigious gathering. She shook her head and opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't be," she said lightly. "I'm just a little blind-sided by all of this, but it's not something you need to be apologizing about. When is she scheduled to arrive? Do I have time to attend any of my conferences today?"

Before she could even finish her last question, she rounded the corner and saw the very cause of the morning's change of plans walking haughtily through the large glass doors at the lobby's entrance. A bellboy was leading her as he pulled two of the largest suitcases Lexa had ever seen behind him, while she appeared to be surveying the hotel with her dark sunglasses blocking the expression in her eyes and her nose stuck firmly in the air.

"Nevermind, Aden," Lexa said as she answered her own question. "She just walked in the hotel now."

 _"Okay. Call me if you need anything."_

"I will, thank you," Lexa said as she started to wrap up the call. "And thank you for warning me. Who knows what I might have said to her if she showed up and surprised me with this herself."

Aden chuckled lightly and said goodbye before Lexa said goodbye and ended the call.

"Lexa!" Eva called out as she flung an arm dramatically in the air like she'd just laid eyes on a friend she hadn't seen in years. "So there's been a small change in plans as you can see."

"Yes, I was actually just informed this morning that you would be joining me here," Lexa said but couldn't stop the snide tone from seeping into her voice.

"I'm so sorry if I put a damper on any of your plans," Eva dramatically sympathized, and Lexa had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes at the woman's obviously artificial concern. "Mr. Jones and I were having dinner, you know just catching up, and we couldn't have agreed more that this was one of the best opportunities for me to get my name out there to the people of DC. I know it coincided with your little Expo, but every politician needs their attorney present to keep them in line if you know what I mean."

Lexa listened quietly as the brunette rattled off her speech and decided carefully how she would respond before opening her mouth to speak.

"I'd hardly consider this Expo little," Lexa started, "but I would have enjoyed being able to attend even the optional lectures I'd signed up for last week."

"Oh, well you know how the political world works by now, Lexa," Eva replied with a dismissive shake of her hand. "Things change from one minute to the next. It's the mark of a great lawyer to keep up with the demanding schedule of her client."

Lexa sighed. It was a little sigh, but it was a sigh nonetheless. She was even more rapidly than before coming to the conclusion that this woman would be the literal death of her as long as she kept playing this game of dominance she was trying to play all the time. She nodded as Eva told her that she needed to check into her hotel suite –not room, suite– before they headed out to breakfast together. As soon as Gustus appeared with the car at the front of the hotel, Lexa walked out to meet him and let him know about her change in plans. She warned him politely that Eva was a client, which Gustus knew to take as her telling him to speak strictly professionally to the woman if she addressed him throughout the day.

 _'Like that will happen,'_ Lexa thought, picturing Eva as the type of person who wouldn't dare to even make eye contact with hired help.

When they reached the restaurant Eva had instructed Gustus to drive them to, Lexa took the opportunity to let herself out of the large sedan while Gustus attended to the more finicky of the two. The smile Lexa had so quickly grown accustomed to had completely disappeared from the burly man's face, and he seemed almost wary of Eva as he politely offered the car door open for her before quickly shutting it after she'd climbed out of the car. Lexa threw him an apologetic look as she followed her client into the restaurant, knowing that Gustus would have to wait outside the car until they returned. It was what most drivers did, but Lexa considered Gustus a friend even in the short time they'd known each other.

She couldn't deny that the food at the restaurant Eva had chosen was delicious, but Lexa thought back to the omelet and cinnamon roll she'd had at the diner with Gustus earlier in the week and settled quickly on the verdict that she enjoyed that morning infinitely more than she enjoyed her breakfast with Eva. Their destination that day was a local DC University where the moderately-sized campus consisted mostly of students concentrating their studies in the fields of law, business, and economics. Eva's campaign manager, whom Lexa thought Eva should be commuting with instead of her, booked the small gathering to be held in the campus square where most students crossed on their way to their classes. And because of Eva's strong presence in the political, business, and economic environments, it was a natural pull for the students there to identify with her views.

The rally campaign went overwhelmingly well with the students, and Lexa found herself standing next to Eva for the better part of the afternoon. It was nearing four o'clock when they finally found themselves back in the car with Gustus at the wheel, Eva insisting on riding with Lexa again because 'it was silly not to' since they were so conveniently going back to the same hotel. It wasn't lost on Gustus the way that Lexa quickly declined Eva's invitation to dinner, and he mentally praised the young attorney for not giving into another one of the politician's demands. He bid Lexa a good evening, and eyed the pair as they walked into the hotel only to separate as Eva turned towards the direction of the hotel bar and Lexa continued toward the elevator.

* * *

Clarke was thankful for her day off after working her second double-shift of the week, and she took full advantage of it by sleeping in until half-past noon. Even with a full twelve hours of sleep, the emotionally and physically drained surgeon felt heavy as she woke and groaned in discontent when the bright sunlight streaming in from behind her curtains stung her eyes. Clarke laid motionless, her head buried under her pillow, for another few minutes until she had fully come to her senses. She lifted her head from the mattress and squinted her eyes until they focused on her cell phone lying just beside her head. She reached for it and wasn't at all surprised to see a missed call and new voicemail notification on the status bar at the top of her screen.

 _"Hey Clarke, it's me. I didn't hear from you yesterday, and I'm kind of starting to worry... so... give me a call when you have a chance so that I know you're okay. I miss you."_

Clarke flipped the phone back down onto the mattress with a low sigh. She was waging a battle inside herself with her head telling her to ignore her girlfriend's attempts to contact her and her heart reminding her how much she desperately loved her best friend and wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. Clarke scrunched her face remembering that her mom had offered to listen if she needed it, but it wasn't really something she wanted to go into with her mom. Not this time. She and Raven had departed on pretty terrible terms, and Clarke let out another sigh as she remembered the harsh words that had come out of her mouth the day before. Octavia was a viable option, though she was probably working since she was a borderline workaholic.

After about ten minutes of debating with herself over what she was going to do on her day off, Clarke pushed herself from the warmth of her bed and headed straight into the bathroom to slip into the shower. The cool water was refreshingly cleansing against her skin, and she felt like a new woman by the time she stapped out onto the plush rug that was darkening with each errant drop of water falling from her body. She drug the navy blue towel harshly over her face as if to wipe away all of the tension that had been residing there over the last couple of days since her unexpected meeting with Eva. Shrugging on a soft robe, Clarke made her way out of her bedroom and into her kitchen to make a cup of coffee. She didn't leave her room without picking up the half-empty beer bottle on her bedside table from the night before.

 **Clarke: We should talk.**

The coffee mug was warm in her hands as Clarke sat down on her couch and flipped on her television to catch whatever lame daytime talk show was on at the moment before heading back to the bathroom to make herself look presentable for the day. She felt a chuckle push her chest out as she listened to a group of women bickering around a large table about some outrageous thing some celebrity had just said at some party they were at last weekend. It was amazing to her how the dumb things famous people said could impact so many media forums for so long. As she raised her mug back up to her lips, her phone chirped out a text message notification that was quickly followed by a second.

 **Raven: I think you're right.**

 **Raven: Will you be at PT tonight?**

Clarke smiled lightly as she read her friend's replies and quickly typed out a reply of her own.

 **Clarke: Yes, and I promise not to yell at you this time.**

It wasn't often that she found herself fighting –really fighting– with her friends, but suddenly within the last 48 hours she had been in the middle of an argument with two of them. Well, one argument for sure and possibly another since she couldn't confirm she was fighting with Lexa because she hadn't actually _spoken_ to her yet. Letting out a small sigh, Clarke lifted herself from the couch and headed back towards her bathroom to properly deal with her hair first and foremost. As she dried her hair and applied a light cover of makeup, Clarke couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Lexa hadn't reached out to her again. The voicemail that had been left the previous day was the last time the brunette had attempted contact, and Clarke thought it wouldn't have been the last.

 _'Unless she's too busy doing hell knows what with Eva right now...'_ Clarke thought much to her own chagrin.

The fact was she didn't have any idea _what_ the hell Lexa was doing with the other woman, and it was partly so because Clarke hadn't bothered to check in with her girlfriend about the situation since it had all gone down. It was nagging in her brain, and she had pretty much come to terms with having to confront Lexa about it the next time she talked to her. It's not like she could stay not talking to her until she came home. Clarke quickly shook her head after pondering just that for a split second and stowed her makeup back in a cabinet drawer before heading to her closet to get changed. There were a few things she needed to do before the evening's physical therapy session with Raven rolled around, so she headed out of her apartment to get started on her errands. The last thing she wanted to be doing was keeping herself away from the painting she had been so excited to create for Lexa, but it seemed her inspiration had gone up in flames after the events of the past couple of days.

By the time six o'clock came, Clarke decided that she better make her way to the hospital so that she and Raven could talk about her little outburst the day before. The drive to the hospital seemed to drag on, and Clarke was more than happy by the time she pulled into one of the parking spaces reserved for hospital staff. Thankfully she didn't see her mother or anyone else who would have normally stopped and talked to her on her way to Raven's room because the time was pushing six-forty as she rounded the final corner and knocked on her friend's door. A small word of entrance was granted from the other side, and Clarke immediately pushed open the heavy door as she suddenly felt eager to apologize to her friend and make amends.

"Hey," Clarke offered softly as she walked toward where Raven was sitting in a lounge chair off to the side of her bed.

"Hi," Raven replied sheepishly.

"Raven, I'm sorry for–"

"No way, Clarke," Raven interrupted quickly, "you are not apologizing to me for anything. I was so out of line yesterday... I don't know what came over me."

"I do," Clarke said as she took a seat next to her friend. "You were fed up with all this shit you've been dealing with over the past month, over the past years, and you were letting it out."

"You're absolutely right," Raven agreed, "but there's no excuse for using you as my scapegoat. You were in no way deserving of anything I said to you yesterday, and I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven," Clarke said as she offered the worried brunette a kind smile. They shared a hug, Clarke even kissing Raven on the cheek, before they pulled away and relaxed into their chairs.

"The fact is my last couple of days have been pretty shitty too, so I'm not surprised I was snapping back at you so easily," Clarke confessed.

"Want to talk about it?" Raven asked with genuine concern.

She waited for a verbal response but instead was met with the sight of Clarke simply nodding in agreement.

"So," Clarke started after taking a deep breath, "do you remember me mentioning Eva Porter?"

"Once or twice," Raven said with a smirk.

"Well, I ran into her on Tuesday," Clarke continued as she pulled a hand through her hair, "at my coffee shop."

Raven nodded and waited for her to continue.

"She let it slip that she's meeting Lexa in DC later this week," Clarke said as her eyes locked on her friend's before finishing, "and Lexa didn't tell me about it."

Raven's eyebrows lifted as she took in the new information, but just as soon as they shot up they furrowed back down as a look of confusion passed over her face. It was like she wasn't sure whether she believed Lexa would keep something like that from her girlfriend without a really good reason for doing so.

"That's weird," Raven finally decided to say. "And you're thinking she..."

"I don't know what I'm thinking, Rae," Clarke answered the open-ended question. "I mean, the woman _obviously_ has a thing for Lexa... she's made that excruciatingly clear..."

"And you actually think Lexa has a thing for her too?" Raven asked like she thought it was the dumbest thing that had ever come out of the blonde's mouth.

"No... I don't know!" Clarke almost shouted as her voice edged on exasperation. She ran a hand through her hair again and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "When she approached us at The Ark and introduced herself, she was practically throwing herself at Lexa. And what about the magazine article? It just all seems a bit too coincidental is all I'm saying..."

"What you're saying, Clarke, is that you think Lexa is cheating on you," Raven clarified, "and you're making yourself sound like an idiot!"

Clarke said nothing but huffed at her friend's not so tactful characterization of her.

"Plus, you said you were over that magazine article," Raven shot back at her. "Once you're over something, you can't let it influence your thoughts anymore. That's like... the definition of _not_ being over something."

"Alright, well even if this meetup is completely platonic," Clarke theorized, "why the hell didn't she just tell me about it? Why hide it?"

"I don't know," Raven replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "That's a pretty dick move if that's really what happened, but you need to talk to her about it. You know, ask her? And keep your mouth shut long enough to let her answer?"

Clarke shot the brunette an annoyed look and pursed her lips.

"You're the last person to be lecturing me about being able to keep their mouth shut," Clarke teased as she quirked an eyebrow.

"Isn't it time for my therapy session?" Raven asked as she attempted to change the subject.

She was right actually, and Clarke sighed before getting out of her chair to bring the wheelchair over to Raven to climb into. She positioned it just right next to her friend and waited as she rotated herself to vacate one chair and hop into another. Their eyes met for a silent second before Raven opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't avoid her," she told the blonde, knowing that avoidance never solved any problem. "Avoidance never solved any problem."

Clarke knew Raven was right, and she made a mental plan to call Lexa after the physical therapy session was over and she was back at her apartment for the night. What she wasn't looking forward to was confronting her girlfriend about why Eva was with her, states away, and why she wasn't informed about it.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Lexa had done her very best keeping her distance from her high-maintenance client for the better part of the day, aside from necessary breaks in the day for food which Lexa was almost considering not to be important to her anymore if it meant time away from Eva Porter. The woman had the most irritating way of hovering around Lexa, testing the limits of casual physical contact, downright bragging about anything and everything in her life, and constantly using this subtle way of flirting that was not so subtle.

Lexa was more than tired. She was tired of Eva. She was tired of listening to her, giving her council, declining her dinner invitations or drinks at the bar. She was tired and headed up to her room, ready to fall into bed and hope as hard as she could that Clarke was okay, that she was safe, and that she was just busy as her reason for not keeping in contact over the last couple of days. When she finally made it to her hotel room, Lexa kicked off her heels and began to undress immediately. She shrugged herself into her sleeping clothes and tucked herself under the heavy blankets on her bed before flipping the TV on and switching from channel to channel, trying to find anything somewhat decent to watch. Just as the third episode of a show marathon she had decided on started, Lexa heard her phone begin to ring from the bedside table.

 _Incoming Call: Clarke_

It was Clarke. Lexa lunged toward the phone, grabbing it up from the table and quickly accepted the call before she missed it, even though it had only been ringing all of three seconds. She could hardly catch her breath but couldn't have cared less by how she sounded as long as it meant that not missing this call would allow her to speak with her amazing girlfriend that she'd spent days worrying about.

"Clarke!" Lexa exclaimed quietly into the phone.

 _"Hi, Lexa."_

Lexa froze for a second, trying to get a read on Clarke's mood but couldn't do it based on the two quick words she'd muttered.

"How are you?" Lexa quickly asked with a voice full of concern. "Are you alright?"

 _"I'm... yeah..."_ Clarke started but trailed off.

"I've been worried about you," Lexa said.

 _"Have you?"_

"Of course," Lexa answered immediately as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I hadn't heard from you in days, and you weren't responding to any of my texts. Even if you were busy at the hospital, I figured you would text me before you went to bed or... I don't know, just to check up. I missed you, and after not talking for so long I miss you even more."

Clarke was silent on the other end of the line, and Lexa listened intently for a few moments before she heard a small voice that seemed to be a little wobbly.

 _"We need to talk."_

The moment those four words filled Lexa's ears, her heart dropped in her chest and she couldn't help but immediately assume that Clarke was breaking up with her. She didn't know the reason, and it seemed rather sudden, but Lexa knew that most breakup speeches start out with 'we need to talk.' She swallowed thickly and her heart hammered in her chest so hard she was starting to feel slightly light-headed, but she waited in silence for Clarke to continue.

 _"Why didn't you tell me that Eva Porter was meeting you in DC this week?"_

Lexa closed her eyes in realization. It was not a break up, and she felt relief for about two seconds before the conversation continued.

"I didn't know," Lexa started.

 _"You didn't know what?"_ Clarke interrupted. _"You didn't know whether you should tell me?"_

"What?" Lexa asked in utter disbelief.

 _"You scheduled your client, your very attractive and single client who clearly has a thing for you, to meet you in another state without telling me about it? Thinking I just wouldn't find out about it? What the hell, Lexa?"_

"Clarke, slow down," Lexa calmly interjected until Clarke interrupted her again.

 _"I don't even know how I should be reacting to this!"_

"Clearly you do because you're reacting like I'm cheating on you," Lexa was finally able to interject. "like I planned some kind of romantic getaway out of town."

Clarke was silent on the other end.

"Is that about right, Clarke?" Lexa asked with a little bit of sass creeping into her tone of voice. "Did I miss anything?"

 _"Don't go and turn this around on me, Woods. You're the one who's not telling the truth here."_

"I absolutely did not lie to you, Clarke," Lexa rightly defended herself.

 _"Well apparently you did because you chose not to tell me, and I found out on my own."_

"Who did you find out from?" Lexa asked, genuinely interested in the answer.

 _"Does it matter?"_

"Look, Clarke," Lexa finally broke their momentary silence, "I told you before that Eva is just a client."

She heard a sigh from the blonde on the other line, but before she could say anything else there was a knock at her door. Lexa rolled her eyes and silently cursed whoever was on the other side of the door for interrupting her phone call before making her way towards it.

"Clarke, can you hold on for just a minute?" Lexa asked but didn't wait to hear a response before she hit the mute button on her phone.

Or so she thought.

What Lexa was in no way prepared to see was the very subject of her conversation with Clarke standing outside her hotel room door in a rather noticeably intoxicated form. Lexa's mouth dropped open slightly in surprise, and Eva just smirked before moving to step inside of her room.

"Waiting for me?" Eva purred from just inside the doorway. She leaned suggestively towards Lexa who immediately put her hand out to press against the other woman's shoulder in an attempt to keep her at a respectable distance.

"No," Lexa responded strongly. "I'm in the middle of a phone conversation. You can't just barge in here and–"

"Can't I?" Eva interrupted as she quickly quirked an eyebrow in a challenging fashion.

"Contrary to what you may have been lead to believe your whole life, no you can't," Lexa replied. "Not with me."

Eva shook her head dismissively and pressed on. She angled her body just slightly and took another tentative step closer to Lexa, making sure to lock her gaze with the brunette and flashed her the most smouldering expression she could manage in her current... state. She had bedded countless people before (much quicker than this) with even her weakest smouldering look, so she was sure that Lexa would be powerless to resist. But when Lexa remained standing her ground with not so much as a blink of her eyes, Eva silently lifted her hand to trace along the strong and defined jawline of the beautiful woman in front of her. Before her fingers could even make contact with Lexa's smooth skin, she felt a hand catch her wrist firmly.

"You're drunk," Lexa stated quietly but with conviction. "Go back to your room."

Eva flicked her gaze from the hand that was holding her wrist in mid-air to the piercing green eyes that were seemingly boring into her soul, and the two women started intensely at each other for a few long seconds. Lexa had spoken with a tone that sounded an awful lot like a warning. It was like she was saying _'leave now and nothing else will need to happen, nothing else will need to be said,'_ and suddenly Eva felt that the out was probably her best option at the time. She knew she was drunk, and that gave her a disadvantage on the situation especially since Lexa appeared to be quite the opposite. She pulled her hand away slowly and squinted as she continued to stare down the brunette before tipping her chin up ever-so-slightly as if she was conceding defeat if only for the time being. Without a single word, Eva took a step back and slowly turned around and walked out the door.

Lexa sighed heavily and closed her eyes before shutting the door and locking it again. She immediately turned her attention back to her phone still in her hand, and her heart sank when she saw that she was no longer connected to Clarke's call. What she didn't know was that Clarke had hung up the second after hearing Eva's first words after Lexa had opened the door.


	18. Chapter 18

****11/24/16 EDIT: The way some readers disliked my take on Clarke's jealousy in this story has moved me to make a few changes here and there simply to bring down the intensity of her reactions slightly. None of the actual storyline has not been changed, just a bit of dialogue.****

* * *

"I can practically hear you thinking," Raven said as she narrowed her gaze at Clarke across the table.

The girl had been pushing her food around with her fork for the past five minutes while Raven had been happily indulging in hers, just thankful that she wasn't eating hospital food for the millionth time in the last month. Clarke had arranged another day pass for her after their nuclear melt-down a couple of days prior, and she thought it might do them _both_ good to take a step away from the confines of the hospital and enjoy some time together. Clarke had insisted on bringing Raven to their favorite brunch place, Tony's, for a special meal for just the two of them, and truth be told that Clarke was still feeling a little guilty for snapping on Raven so badly so she figured a free meal at one of their favorite eateries couldn't hurt.

"Earth to Clarke?"

"Huh?" Clarke replied as she finally snapped out of her trance.

"I said I can hear you thinking from here," Raven repeated herself. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Clarke mumbled and glanced back up at an unamused looking brunette and sighed.

"What did she do this time?" Raven asked, presuming Lexa was the reason for the blonde's distraction.

"Eva Porter," Clarke finally said through a long sigh. "She showed up at Lexa's hotel room last night."

"And you know this... how?" Raven questioned as she stabbed a piece of fruit onto her fork.

"I heard her," Clarke told her as she propped her fork on the edge of her plate. "I was talking on the phone with Lexa, finally thinking we would be able to talk some things out, and Lexa asks me to hold on for a minute."

Raven nodded in silence as she moved her fork up to her mouth and slid the piece of fruit off it with her teeth.

"The next thing I hear is Eva saying _'waiting for me?'_ " Clarke explained with her voice dropping an octave as she recited Eva's part.

Raven stared at Clarke for a few seconds as she chewed her mouthful of fruit and squinted again before opening her mouth to speak.

"That's it?" Raven asked.

"That's it?" Clarke repeated as her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean, that's it?"

"I mean, is that seriously all she said?" Raven continued. "What did Lexa say back?"

"Well..." Clarke started but quickly trailed off.

"Well?" Raven urged impatiently.

"Well," Clarke faltered as she began to pick at the napkin in her lap, "I didn't really hear what she said because I hung up the phone."

"What? You hung up the–" Raven interrupted herself and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Clarke, you're an idiot."

"Hey!" Clarke quickly defended herself with a meaningful glare.

"Seriously," Raven said as she shook her head from side to side, "you are the biggest idiot of all idiots."

"Alright, enough," Clarke huffed as she leaned back in her chair.

"I'm just saying, how the hell can you be this upset when you don't even know if there's anything to be upset about?" Raven directed at her friend across the table who was currently avoiding eye contact and folding her arms over her chest. "For all you know, Lexa could have shoved her on her ass a second later."

"Or she could have–"

"Clarke," Raven quickly interrupted the blonde, "are you seriously about to make a statement that implies Lexa Woods, the woman who is so desperately crazy for you, did anything other than telling a meaningless client to get the fuck out of her room so that she could get back to her phone conversation with you? Are you seriously saying that?"

"No, I just..." Clarke began as she slumped back into her chair and huffed out a heavy sigh. "I don't know..."

"Why are you so insecure all of a sudden, Clarke?" Raven asked carefully. "It's like you're... not yourself lately."

Clarke sighed and shook her head a few times.

"Seriously, what's the issue here?" Raven asked curiously. "What has Lexa done, actually done, to make you not want to trust her?"

"Raven," Clarke quietly whined in defeat.

"No, Clarke," Raven interjected, "answer me."

"It's what she's _not_ doing," Clarke finally settled on before throwing the brunette a defeated glance.

Raven remained silent as she waited for the blonde to explain herself, but all she got in response was a long sigh as Clarke dropped her head and stared down at her lap dejectedly.

* * *

"I don't know how much of the conversation she even heard," Lexa said as she poked her omelet with her fork.

"Maybe the call dropped," Gustus offered from the opposite side of the table.

Lexa had asked her driver early that morning if we wanted to join her for breakfast, knowing that it might help her feel better to talk to someone about what had been happening during her week at the Expo and away from Clarke. Gustus had listened intently, quietly eating as Lexa explained the entire situated from the beginning all the way back to explaining how Clarke hadn't exactly liked Eva from the very start of their first year together at the same University. He had nodded his head in understanding and oftentimes felt himself feeling sorry for the young attorney sitting in front of him, swallowing harshly every time he could hear Lexa coming close to tears as she spoke.

"See, I don't even know!" Lexa quietly exclaimed as she stabbed her breakfast blindly while locking her gaze onto Gustus. "Maybe it did, but I don't know because she won't call me back. She won't answer my texts. She won't talk to me at all..."

Gustus sighed and clenched his jaw, wanting nothing more than to suggest Lexa leave the Expo and go home to her girlfriend to talk things out, but he knew that wasn't his place no matter how close they'd become in such a short time. So he said nothing and simply let her continue voicing her train of thoughts.

"I just wish..." Lexa said before trailing off. "I just sometimes wish I'd never have signed Eva on as one of my clients."

This of all of Lexa's statements is the one Gustus found the most interesting. It sounded an awful lot like Lexa trying to place blame on her client without holding _herself_ accountable for any of the miscommunication between her and Clarke. It was readily apparent to him that Lexa hadn't done the best job of always conveying strict boundaries to Eva and holding fast to them, even though she most likely thought she had. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, an irritatingly familiar voice broke the intimacy of their conversation.

"Lexa?" Eva hesitantly questioned as she stepped up behind her and eyed Gustus carefully.

"Eva," Lexa simply greeted the woman as she turned her head to make eye contact with her.

"You should have called me this morning if you needed company for breakfast," Eva said as she held a cool gaze with Gustus.

"I didn't need company," Lexa quickly responded before glancing back towards Gustus.

"Not to be rude," Eva started as she turned her full attention to the large man sitting in front of her, "but aren't there rules of conduct between hired drivers and their clients? I'd hardly think breakfast would fall under the list of acceptable practices most likely outlined in your ethics handbook."

"Gustus and I are old friends," Lexa interrupted sternly, "and I would appreciate if you could respect our time alone together as we finish our meals."

Eva's eyes snapped over to Lexa, and Gustus bit back a smile at the brunette's words.

 _'It's about_ _ **damn time**_ _she stood up for herself with this woman,'_ Gustus thought to himself while he watched Eva and Lexa remain engaged in a challenging stare-down.

"We should be leaving in twenty minutes," Eva finally broke the silence and the stare before looking over to Gustus. "Please be sure the car is ready for us."

Lexa glared angrily at the back of Eva's head, and Gustus willed his face to remain completely expressionless as he sat in silence and waited for her to turn slowly away from the table and make her way out of the restaurant. Lexa and Gustus shared a sigh before turning their attention back to their breakfast and their interrupted conversation for the next twenty minutes.

"What is it?" Eva snapped into her phone as she continued walking away from where she'd found Lexa conversing with her hired driver of all people.

 _"Good morning to you too, Porter."_

Eva rolled her eyes at the familiar voice and pursed her lips a few times before speaking again, even more harshly than before.

"I don't pay you for good mornings and conversation," the brunette said as she made her way through the lobby towards one of the empty hotel conference rooms just down the hall, "so if your only purpose in calling was to bid me greeting, then I'll have to seriously reconsider your usefulness of my employ. If there's something else you wish to discuss, I'd advise that you get on with it."

There was a short pause on the other line as the caller seemed to be gathering her bearings before speaking up again.

 _"Right... my apologies, Miss Porter,"_ the woman said hesitantly before continuing. _"We were tipped off this morning by our senior technologies director that there was some sort of network security breach that affected our encrypted files. Apparently someone was able to access the hidden folders on the drive under your security information."_

"How is that possible?" Eva harshly questioned as she slipped into the privacy of the empty conference room and closed the door behind her.

 _"We cross-checked the timestamps of when the files were accessed against the key log on your office door and found information from Andrew's security card."_

Eva grit her teeth at the mention of her brother but remained silent as the caller continued.

 _"Security cameras show him on your computer as he was speaking to someone on his cell phone. We ran a history on his call list, thanks to a close friend of mine at the phone company who just loves how deep our pockets are, and traced the call back to a Mr. Monty Green."_

"Who is that?" Eva heard herself asking, clearly not recognizing the name as anyone she was even vaguely familiar with.

 _"This is where things get interesting,"_ the caller said as a sound of excitement ran over her voice. _"Apparently he is some kind of coding prodigy at MIT where he consults part time second only to working his main job remotely as an IT technician for a security company based out of San Francisco. The company has been looking into our past for years, and it seems as though they've been doubling-down on their efforts recently."_

"So a security company is investigating us," Eva concluded irritatingly. "Why is that so interesting? It's certainly nothing we aren't used to by now."

 _"This Monty Green person who apparently knows your brother well enough to talk him into breaking into your office is roommates with a Mr. Aden Tate."_

"Why do I know that name?" Eva heard herself asking out loud.

 _"Mr. Tate is your attorney's assistant."_

A moment of realization washed over Eva's mind as she finally connected the dots. Her thoughts raced with questions of whether Lexa had been in on this, and her lips pursed into a thin line as she contemplated what her next move should be. She had been playing this game with Lexa Woods from the moment she'd met her, and though it seemed like the woman was weak enough to break, this new information pointing to the possibility that she was actually in on a secret investigation involving her company seemed to be making it clearer that Lexa might actually be more of a sleuth than she had originally felt her out to be. Before she could say anything, the caller spoke up again.

 _"I have another interesting tidbit for you if you're ready."_

"Yes, of course," Eva snapped.

 _"The security company investigating us recently positioned a small team close to our headquarters in the city. The team leader is a man by the name of Bellamy Blake, who just so happens to be a close personal friend of Miss Clarke Griffin."_

The moment the blonde's name filled her eyes, Eva was sent into an enraged panic. Her nostrils flared and her mind went wild, immediately convincing herself that Clarke had been the instigator behind Lexa's apparent involvement in an investigation that seemed to be turning into much more than she'd originally thought it was from the beginning of this phone call. As much as she was torn not to involve Lexa directly, she knew it had to be done. She drew in a shaky breath before speaking slowly and methodically into the phone.

"I want Lexa Woods's apartment searched from top to bottom," Eva instructed the caller. "Do it today, as soon as possible."

 _"Got it."_

"We need to know exactly how deep this investigation runs. And find out what Clarke Griffin's schedule is for the day," Eva quickly continued. "Search her apartment while she is gone and inform me of every single thing you find in _both_ of their homes."

 _"Understood."_

Without another word, Eva ended the call and snapped her eyes shut. Her hands were firmly resting against the surface of the large conference room table as she leaned onto it for support. This turn in events was not something she was in any way prepared for, but it was something she knew she would have to take the offensive on as soon as she possibly could. It wasn't just her father's company at stake, it was her own way of life at stake – a life she had grown accustomed to living a certain way and was in no uncertain terms ready to give up. A small knock on the conference room door was enough to shake her out of her thoughts and turn to see the hotel manager staring at her through the large glass door with a concerned look on his face.

"Is everything alright, Miss Porter?" He asked after opening the door gently. "I saw you bracing yourself and worried that you might be feeling ill."

Her trademark smirk plastered itself onto her lips and she turned quickly and sauntered over to the man.

"I'm quite alright," she purred, "but let me be the first to thank you for your concern."

She slipped her arm into his and allowed him to escort her to the lobby where Lexa and her driver were most likely already waiting in the car out front.

* * *

"So how are all the plans coming together?" Abby asked as she sat back in her chair and lifted her glass of ice cold lemonade to her lips.

Octavia and Lincoln were sitting comfortably around the large patio table in Abby's backyard as they waited for their lunch to finish cooking on the grill situated just a few feet to the side of them. They had eagerly accepted the offer of a home-cooked lunch while they visited to go over some planning details for the day of their wedding, which was to be held at Abby's lavish residence just a bit outside of the city. Octavia had daydreamed of her wedding far more than she'd ever thought was possible and was excited to go through where she wanted everything arranged on their big day. She and Lincoln had decided to have the ceremony and proceeding party outside in the beautifully landscaped backyard as long as the weather cooperated.

"Really great," Octavia immediately answered while nodding before letting a huge grin break across her face. "I found a dress..."

"Oh!" Abby exclaimed in excitement as she set her glass down and scooted her chair closer to Octavia. "Pictures please!"

Lincoln just shook his head as he watched his fiancée scoot her own chair towards the surgeon's. He wondered silently why was it that all women, no matter how close they were, automatically assumed that the bride-to-be had pictures of her wedding dress on her phone, but he chuckled nonetheless as he watched while the two smiled happily at the screen.

"It is so beautiful," Abby cooed, "and just... so... you."

"I know, it's like my favorite article of clothing I own," Octavia gushed. "I'm hoping that by the day after our wedding, it will have become socially acceptable to wear wedding dresses to the grocery store because _the hell_ if I'm going to let this thing rot in the back of my closet for the next thirty years..."

Lincoln and Abby both laughed, and Abby moved to hand the phone back to Octavia carefully so that her fiancé couldn't sneak a peek.

"And Lincoln," Abby started as she directed her attention towards him, "will you be wearing a suit or a tuxedo?"

Lincoln said nothing as he looked to Octavia for confirmation.

"I'm thinking a suit," the brunette automatically replied for him, much to Abby's amusement. "Tuxedo rentals are insanely expensive, and if we buy him a suit he can wear it again."

"That's actually a really good idea," Abby responded with a nod. "And what about dresses for the girls?"

"I'm giving them free reign," Octavia answered as she raised her own lemonade to her lips and took a small sip. "They have good taste... I trust them."

"Will your brother be able to make it to the wedding?" Abby asked as she stood and made her way over to the grill to check on the food. "He's in California right?"

"Yeah," Octavia confirmed as Lincoln nodded. "And yes, Bellamy will be there. We already bought him a plane ticket, so he has no excuse."

"I'm sure he would have wanted to be there no matter what," Abby assured the younger girl as she turned the vegetable kabobs with a long pair of tongs. "I guess I assumed that he would be walking you down the aisle?"

Lincoln looked over to his fiancée and noticed as she swallowed before nodding lightly. He knew that Octavia struggled with the fact that neither of her parents were alive to see her get married, but he also knew that she was strong and dealing with it the best she could while all of the wedding planning reminded her of the very fact on a daily basis. Abby shared a nod along with Octavia and a comfortable silence lingered around the table as Abby situated the skewers with chicken and steak on the grill beside the vegetable ones already being cooked.

"So Abby, will you be bringing a plus one?" Lincoln asked with the faintest trail of a smirk on his lips.

"Actually," she started before taking a deep breath, "I was planning on asking Marcus."

"So you two are like officially a thing now?" Octavia asked as her face brightened with a smile.

"I'm honestly not sure what we are," Abby said before sitting down and taking a small sip of her lemonade. "We've gone on plenty of dates, and we've been spending a lot of time together..."

"You're worried about Clarke?" Lincoln guessed out loud.

"Clarke is fine," Octavia interjected. "She's a grown woman. She knows you loved Jake and always will, and really she just wants you to be happy."

"Well, it's nice hearing that," Abby said with a smile. "I still think it'd be best if I talked to her about it before I ask Marcus though."

"Can't say that's a bad idea," Octavia replied as she leaned back in her chair and looked out into the yard. She could just picture herself holding Lincoln's hands as they said their vows in front of Abby's impeccable flower garden.

"So did you pick a maid of honor yet?" Abby asked, snapping Octavia out of her daydream.

"Yeah," Octavia answered as she turned her attention back to the surgeon. "I asked Raven. The girl's been with me through thick and thin, and I couldn't have imagined asking anyone else."

"I'm sure she was thrilled," Abby said with a smile. "She's made incredible progress with her recovery. I wouldn't be surprised if she's walking by the time your wedding comes around."

"Well, she's an incredible woman," Octavia said softly while she smiled fondly thinking of her best friend. "As equally incredible as you are a doctor. You worked a miracle on her."

"Mmm-mmm," Abby disagreed as she shook her head from side to side. "It was only part miracle. The other part was a mix of pure determination and the amazing support of her friends."

Lincoln squeezed Octavia's knee underneath the table and gave her a small smile. She responded in kind and fidgeted with her fingernails for a few seconds before watching as Abby stood up and walked over to the grill. The older woman piled an enormous amount of meat and vegetable skewers onto the serving tray she'd brought out with her earlier and smiled as she placed the steaming food in front of eager faces. Lincoln looked like he was about to jump across the table, and Octavia just closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

"That smells incredible, Mrs. Griffin," Octavia said breathlessly as she eyed the food.

"What is with you all calling me Mrs. Griffin lately?" Abby asked playfully as she sat back down in her chair and placed her light blue cloth napkin in her lap. "I've known you for ages, Octavia, call me Abby."

"Thanks for making us lunch, Abby," Lincoln offered politely as he practically felt himself salivating at the sight and aroma of the freshly cooked food sitting just outside of his reach.

"You can call me Mrs. Griffin," Abby said with an expression more serious than Lincoln had ever seen in his life.

He gulped noticeably, and the women burst into laughter as they started grabbing food from the tray. Lincoln sighed in relief and finally reached over to take as many of the delicious looking skewers as he could fit on his plate.

* * *

"Hey, Bell," Clarke said as she answered her phone. "A little birdy told me you were in town."

 _"Yeah, you heard right. I've been so busy with this case I'm working, but I wanted to call and see if you'd be free to get together before I head back."_

"Yeah," Clarke immediately agreed, "that would be great."

 _"What's your schedule like? I know you're some hot-shot surgeon who's probably being pulled in every direction every day, but do you think you can make some time for little old me?"_

"Well, I'm off today," Clarke replied. "Is that too last minute?"

 _"No! Actually that's perfect. How about I come by your apartment around four, and we can head out for an early dinner?"_

"Sounds great," Clarke said as she smiled into the phone. "I'll be ready."

 _"Alright, see you then."_

Clarke no sooner hung up the phone with Bellamy than she was thinking about an entirely different brunette. She felt her chest tighten as she realized how much she would rather be spending the night wrapped up in her girlfriend's arms than out at a restaurant with her good friend whom she barely even got to see now that he'd moved across the country. With a clench of her jaw and a small sigh, Clarke pushed herself up from the couch and headed into her bathroom. She wanted to take a quick shower before Bellamy showed up since all of the walking (and wheelchair pushing) she and Raven had done earlier that day had made herself work up a small sweat which had later just dried on her skin, leaving it slightly sticky to the touch.

Forty-five minutes later, Clarke had not only taken a shower but washed her hair and reapplied all of her make up. She felt a thousand times better and actually started getting excited about her night out with Bellamy. Not that she wasn't excited before, but there was a certain level of distraction keeping her from looking forward to her night when she'd been moping about Lexa that didn't seem to be in the forefront of her mind anymore. She picked through her closet carefully and quickly decided on wearing her favorite light blue sun dress. She'd had more compliments on it than any others she had ever worn, and most people made sure to let her know just how much it brought out the blue in her eyes. With a quick dab of lip gloss and a spritz of perfume, she stepped out of her bedroom and headed into the kitchen when she heard a firm knock against her door.

"Hey, Princess," Bellamy greeted her with a smile as soon as Clarke had opened her door.

"Hey," Clarke replied with a smile of her own before stepping up to him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Wow, you look," Bellamy started as he pulled away and let his eyes linger down Clarke's body, "incredibly beautiful."

"You don't look half bad yourself," Clarke complimented him.

He wore a pair of camel colored pants, a light blue dress shirt, and a navy blue necktie that was just slim enough to be in style but not skinny enough to look ridiculous like some of them did, in Clarke's humble opinion. His look was finished off with a brown belt that perfectly matched his shoes, while his hair was just the right amount of controlled and messy. That perfect smile of his tipped him generously into the 'handsome' category, and Clarke couldn't help but smile as he chivalrously extended his hand out to her as if to lead her out of the apartment.

"Shall we?" He asked dramatically.

Clarke laughed and nodded before grabbing her keys and purse off of the kitchen counter top. She smiled politely but didn't take Bellamy's hand, opting to brush past him and wait outside her door for him to come back out after her. He looked slightly disappointed for a split second after he turned around, and Clarke swallowed as she leaned forward to lock her door. She looked back at Bellamy again before noticing something she thought was quite amusing.

"We match," she said as she gestured to the blue colors they were both wearing.

They shared a small chuckle before turning to head down the hallway and out onto the busy streets below. During their short walk to the restaurant, Bellamy had mentioned they were going to his favorite jazz club and if they were lucky they might get to meet and talk to a few local jazz players if they played their cards right. Bellamy had been going there almost every week since it had opened, until he moved to San Francisco at least. It was one of his favorite places to go when he visited the city, so he thought it would be the perfect place to take Clarke.

"I feel like I need to order something..." Clarke paused as she searched for the right word, "jazzy."

Bellamy just laughed in response before looking back down at the drink menu laid out on the table between the two of them. They had just been seated at a table for two close to the dance floor, and it was no more than a few minutes before the waiter had walked up to their table, eager to serve his next customers.

"You two picked an _amazing_ night to come here," the waiter replied dramatically as he nodded towards the stage. "One of the best jazz bands in town will be starting in about ten minutes, so I hope you two wore your dancing shoes."

"I _always_ wear my dancing shoes," Clarke said as she played along with the man's excitement.

"A woman prepared," the waiter replied with a nod of his head. "I like that... if I was into that kind of thing," he added before giving a flirtatious wink to Bellamy.

Clarke giggled at her friend's knowing smirk and turned her attention back to the waiter.

"What can I get for you two to drink this evening?"

"This beautiful woman would like your jazziest drink," Bellamy piped up as he eyed Clarke with a smile.

"Hmm," the waiter thought out loud before continuing, "how about a martini?"

"Sounds perfect," Clarke agreed and leaned back in her chair.

"And for the handsome gentleman?" The waiter asked as he turned his attention back to Bellamy.

"I'll have the same," he said while he too leaned back into his chair.

The waiter nodded and quickly excused himself to put in their drink order. In the time it took for their martinis to be served, both Clarke and Bellamy had decided on their dinner choices and ordered as soon as their waiter came back to the table. Clarke took a moment to take in the club, admiring the bright and playful artwork adorning each of the magnificently tall walls. They were all paintings relating to some type of musical instrument or famous jazz musicians if she guessed correctly, and the purple hue cast around the space by the hundreds of dim lights above added just the right amount of mystery to go along with the gentle sounds of the easy music spilling from the stage just to Clarke's left.

"So Octavia tells me that you had a pretty big hand in Raven's latest operation," Bellamy said before sipping at his drink.

"Yeah," Clarke modestly agreed, "but more in the research and planning part of the surgery, not the actual bloody cut open her hip surgery."

Bellamy scrunched his face in disgust as he lowered his drink back down to the table, and Clarke just laughed. She knew it grossed most people out when she talked about her work in gruesome terms, which is why she loved to do just that. Bellamy shook his head at the blonde's laughter, trying to play it off as nothing while inside his heart jumped at the sound. It was like music to his ears, and he'd been dying to hear it since he'd last seen Clarke at Octavia and Lincoln's engagement party.

"Still though, that's pretty amazing," Bellamy complimented her again. "I bet your mom is so proud of you."

Clarke nodded in agreement but said nothing other than offering a light smile.

"So what about you?" Clarke turned the tables on her friend. "You said you were working on a case while you're in town?"

"Actually, I'm leading the case," Bellamy clarified as a look of humility flashed across his face.

"Seriously, Bell?" Clarke asked as she craned her head forward and widened her eyes.

It was Bellamy's turn to nod in understanding as he smiled at the blonde's obvious excitement.

"Congratulations," she said as she reached for her drink and held it up for him to clink his own against.

"Thanks," Bellamy replied. "It was an incredible opportunity and an even better promotion."

"You're still working with the same team then?" Clarke asked as she took another sip of her drink.

"Pretty much," Bellamy replied before explaining further. "The senior agent on our team retired, so I took his position and my other team members took my position, so on and so forth. We have an opening for an entry level position, and I have someone in mind actually... just waiting for him to talk to the wife."

"He sounds like a smart man," Clarke replied, not knowing it was Lincoln to whom Bellamy was referring.

"He is, but his wife is a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes," Bellamy said as he shared a small chuckle with himself.

"Ah, she'll come around," Clarke said. "So what can you tell about this big case you're working on?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Bellamy said with a shake of his head. "You know I can't tell you anything about on-going cases, Clarke."

"That hasn't stopped you in the past, _Bellamy_ ," Clarke quipped as she raised an eyebrow.

"Still," Bellamy said as he drew in a long breath, "it would probably be better if I didn't tell you about this one."

Clarke shrugged dismissively and mumbled something about it being his loss to brag about a case. They laughed and chatted for another few minutes until their food was being presented to them by two young table runners. The waiter followed up quickly behind them and asked if everything looked to their liking before offering to get them each a fresh drink. They both agreed and smiled politely at their waiter before turning to their meals and digging in happily. Moans and groans of approval were thrown from one end of the table to the other as they both enjoyed their own food and a little bit of each other's too. As they finished the last of their second round of martinis, Bellamy stood gracefully from his chair and offered his hand out to Clarke as if to ask her for the next dance. This time she accepted it, and they walked a few paces to where the edge of the dance floor bagan.

They smiled at each other when Bellamy tugged her close, and Clarke thought nothing of it since the two of them had danced together more times than she could have counted. The music lead them to sway in each other's arms, and after a minute or two Clarke felt herself leaning her cheek against the strong curve where Bellamy's neck met his shoulder. She could feel his warm breath tickling down the back of her own neck and closed her eyes. It wasn't that it felt right dancing with Bellamy, it was that it felt _so damn good_ for someone to be holding her close after the hellish week she'd had.

They remained pleasantly in each other's embrace for the rest of the song and the one after until Clarke felt the hand that had been pressed against her lower back suddenly move around to her hip and give it a light squeeze. The move made Clarke lift her head and lean back to look Bellamy in the eyes as she waited for him to say something. She assumed he had wanted to get her attention in some way if the squeeze on her hip was anything to go by, but instead all he was doing was staring at her wordlessly, longingly. The moment his gaze dropped to her lips was the moment Clarke's heart dropped in her chest. She could barely register a single thought before she felt Bellamy gently push himself towards her lips as the grip on her hip relaxed just the tiniest bit. Before any contact could be made, Clarke jammed her hands into the crooks of Bellamy's elbows and pushed him back.

"Bellamy!" Clarke exclaimed as an expression of pure shock washed over her face.

"I... I thought..." Bellamy stuttered as his own look of shock mixed with hurt flashed over his face.

Clarke took a purposeful step back and let her gaze linger on his for a few more seconds before she closed her lips, that were parted with surprise, as Bellamy spoke again.

"Clarke," he croaked out as he watched her spin on her heels, "Clarke, wait..."

He couldn't stop her as she walked quickly back to their table, stopping only to grab for her purse. As she fished her wallet out and grabbed a few bills from inside, Bellamy reached his hand out and laid it gently around his flustered friend's forearm. He immediately withdrew his touch when Clarke turned to serve him a searing glare before dropping the money on the table and walking out the door. Bellamy hung his head in shame before slumping down onto the chair he'd been sitting in the entire night and bringing his hands up to run though his hair.

What the fuck had he done?

* * *

Angry tears were pricking behind Clarke's eyes as she walked furiously towards her apartment on the crowded city sidewalks. Part of her was thankful that Bellamy hadn't followed her, while another part of her was surprised that if her kiss was something he'd wanted then why he _wasn't_ following her storm away? The mere fact that Bellamy had wanted to kiss her, and actually made a move to do it, continued to cloud Clarke's mind as each step she took brought her closer to the privacy of her own home. And why now of all times? Why when she finally had found happiness with Lexa, only to find herself in the middle of a fight with her, did Bellamy try to kiss her? Did he _know_ she was fighting with Lexa? Did he even know she was _dating_ Lexa?

Bellamy sat slumped in his seat for another few minutes until the waiter, who had been so cheerful and jovial up until this point, approached the table cautiously. It was a misunderstanding, Bellamy had been eager to let the waiter know for reasons he wasn't entirely sure. The waiter was a complete stranger, yet Bellamy felt it his duty to make sure the man didn't think he had just taken advantage of one of his good friends on the dance floor just a few minutes earlier. Unless... had he? Certainly taking a chance to kiss Clarke was something he'd wanted to do for a while now, but never did he think he would be rejected. He sighed and ran his fingers through his messy hair again, suddenly feeling the subtle effects of the alcohol from the martinis he had been drinking throughout the course of the night. _'She couldn't have been drunk,'_ Bellamy thought as he contemplated again whether or not he'd taken advantage of her.

Clarke finally reached her apartment door and barely registered the fact that she had literally thrown her keys onto her kitchen counter top, the force making them slide down the entire length of the breakfast bar and fall onto the seat of one of her bar stools. She slammed the door, probably a bit too loudly, and headed straight for her bedroom to strip herself of the dress she was wearing. She was positive she'd be staying in for the rest of the night after the events that had just unfolded at the jazz club, so Clarke hung her dress back on its hanger and threw on a pair of comfortable sleep shorts and a loose t-shirt before heading into her bathroom to wipe off her makeup and brush her teeth. It was a ridiculously early hour on a Friday evening to be getting ready for bed, but the emotional drain Clarke had been experiencing over the past week had suddenly turned physical and her body was screaming for sleep.

Bellamy rested his elbows on the table and his eyes drifted over to the two twenty dollar bills that Clarke had dropped just before she stormed out of the club. He shook his head and reached for them with one hand while pulling his wallet from his pocket with the other. He flipped the soft leather open and shoved the bills inside, knowing there was not a single chance that he wasn't going to give this money back to Clarke. It was all his own fault, really. He had wanted so desperately for this to be a date, but he never _did_ come out and clarify it as such. He realized he'd blindsided her after her reaction to the almost-kiss, but he still couldn't help but feel disappointed that she hadn't gone into the evening with some of the same hopes as he had.

Clarke made no effort to retrieve her phone from her purse that was now lying on its side next to her bed and instead pulled back the blankets covering her mattress and slid in beneath them between her sheets. The moment her head hit the pillow, her mind began to dull and her eyelids began to droop as the combination of the alcohol and the overwhelming events of the night took a hold of Clarke and whisked her away into a deep slumber. It was why, only ten minutes after she had fallen asleep, she didn't hear her apartment door being opened effortlessly due to the fact that she had left it unlocked. Her dreamless sleep was why she didn't hear as two men swiftly ducked into her home, closing the door quietly behind them, and started searching her cabinets and her drawers and her bookcases and everything in between for evidence of her involvement in a certain investigation being done on a certain company who employed certain shady characters to carry out certain dangerous tasks such as this one. It was because of her exhaustion, both physical and emotional, that she didn't hear as one man crept silently down her hallway towards her bedroom, but it was like something out of a movie when the man still in the kitchen moved one of her bar stools and sent her keys crashing down onto her floor with a loud clatter. The familiar but unexpected sound jolted Clarke from her sleep, and her eyes snapped open to catch the gaze of an equally as shocked intruder hovering in her bedroom doorway.

After charging $150 to his credit card for the meal, the drinks, and the tip, Bellamy sighed and took the last two sips out of of both martini glasses before popping the olives into his mouth and standing to leave. The waiter put a gentle hand on his shoulder as he came over to take the soft leather folder containing the signed receipt for the bill and wished him a pleasant evening. Bellamy just nodded and turned to towards the entrance of the club, walking slowly as he passed the stage currently being occupied with one hell of an amazing-sounding jazz band and walked out the front doors. The subtle chill of the evening had settled into the air, but the warmth of the alcohol buzzing through his system kept Bellamy comfortable as he began to walk aimlessly down the busy city sidewalks. He loosened his tie and popped the top button of his shirt open before rolling up his sleeves and shoving his hands in his pockets. He knew where he wanted to go, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to be welcome.

"What the fu–"

Before Clarke could even finish her sentence, the man who had been standing frozen in her doorway came charging at her with a wild look burning in his eyes. She sprung off her bed as quickly as she could, desperate to make it out her bedroom door, but the sheets she whipped off her body tangled around her left foot, and the only part of her body that made contact with the cool hardwood floors was the soft pad of her right foot. Suddenly she felt as if she'd been hit with a train, and her body was being slammed into her floor so hard it made the air that was once in her lungs come rushing out with a vengeance, never to return. Her vision swam as she was brought back to her senses just long enough to almost lose consciousness when she felt a sharp pain shooting from her ankle and up her leg. She struggled underneath the weight of the large man and fruitlessly gasped for air as he pressed himself even harder into her, making her back feel like it had been permanently cemented to the floor. The unrelenting pressure being applied to her chest made it impossible for her lungs to properly inflate, and she began to see small black spots pop into her field of vision seconds before hearing one of the men shout at the other.

 _"What the fuck is she doing here? She wasn't supposed to be here!"_

Clarke thrashed wildly on the floor of her bedroom as the lack of oxygen to her brain began to make her drift in and out of consciousness. When something with enough force to break through a brick wall hit her square in the cheek, she immediately blacked out and her body went limp. The man still on top of her looked down to see a small trickle of blood seeping out of the blonde's nose, and he immediately backed himself off of her body and stood to his feet. The men argued back and forth about whether they should continue searching her apartment as they'd been instructed to do or whether they should just leave, knowing that their break-in had definitely not gone to according to the plan. The larger of the two men looked around the room, and his eyes landed on a laptop sitting atop a small desk in the corner of the room. He grabbed it, roughly yanking the cord from the outlet, and they hurried out of the room as fast as possible. They wrenched open the front door and all but ran down the hallway towards the stairwell, knowing it would provide them a much more discrete getaway.

The aftermath of the intrusion left only a few items upturned, the laptop gone from its usual spot on the desk in the master bedroom, and lastly but most horrifically an unmoving body sprawled across the floor with a steady stream of blood dripping down a pale cheek to pool slowly on the floor below.

 **1 minute...**

There was no movement. There was no sound.

 **2 minutes...**

A floorboard in the kitchen cracked back into place. The air conditioning turned off.

 **3 minutes...**

There was no sign of a pulse. There was no sign of breathing.

 **4 minutes...**

The stillness overwhelmed. The quietness overwhelmed.

 **5 minutes...**

There was a sound at the door. One sound, a single sound, that filled up the room more than any sound had ever filled the room before. One single sound, one single word.

"Clarke?"

* * *

Lexa sighed as she laid back onto her hotel bed. The sheets were cool against her heated skin, still damp from the bath she had climbed out of just minutes ago. She hadn't heard from Clarke since their interrupted phone conversation the previous night, and Lexa was beginning to wonder if she would hear from her girlfriend at all until she came home on her Sunday afternoon flight. Clarke had eagerly offered to pick her up from the airport before she'd left for the Expo, but after how the week unfolded Lexa wasn't sure if that was even happening anymore. She directed her attention to the television, currently set to some cooking channel, when her stomach grumbled with hunger pains. After another few minutes and another few grumbles, Lexa pushed herself into a sitting position and grabbed for the room service menu to decide on what to order for her dinner... not that she even really felt like eating. The soup and bread combination sounded good enough at the moment, and Lexa twisted herself to reach for the hotel phone to call in her order. The receiver was promptly slammed back down when she heard her own cell phone ringing on the bed beside her.

 _Incoming Call: Octavia_

"Hello?" Lexa answered.

She heard a rustling noise in the earpiece and for a moment thought her friend had butt-dialed her, which had previously happened on more than one occasion. But when a muffled voice was heard in the background, Lexa pressed her phone closer to her ear and squinted her eyes as she tried to concentrate on what she was hearing.

 _"Lexa?"_

"Octavia?" Lexa mimicked.

 _"Yes, I already told you the damn hospital..."_

"Octavia?" Lexa echoed as she scrunched her eyebrows together at the sound of the word 'hospital' being mumbled on the other line.

 _"Lexa, it's about Clarke."_

 _'What about Clarke?'_ the brunette immediately thought.

"What about Clarke?" Lexa asked as she jolted upright.

 _"She's in the hospital."_

Lexa's heart slammed into the front of her chest at the words, and she didn't even notice her mouth dropping open as she waited in silence for Octavia to continue.

 _"Someone broke into her apartment. Bellamy was there and called an ambulance."_

"Is she okay?" Lexa asked in a panic as she sprung off her bed and darted her eyes around the room. She was already mentally packing herself up, knowing there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she was going to stay put in DC for the next two and a half days before seeing Clarke.

 _"I don't know. Lincoln and I are on our way now. Lexa..."_

"I'm coming home," Lexa interrupted as she ran over to the closet and yanked her suitcase into the middle of the room. "Tell her I'm coming home."

Lexa didn't even remember hitting the end call button on her phone before she was throwing all of her clothes into her suitcase as fast as she could. She dressed just as quickly before moving into the bathroom to gather her things and dump them on top of her expensive business suits crumpled into messy piles and shoved deep into the rounded corners of the bag. The thought that sticky shampoo residue was smearing itself all over her clothes didn't even register as the only thought going through her mind was simply 'get home to Clarke.'

After a few more minutes of packing and a few seconds of struggling with the zipper, Lexa finally closed her suitcase and grabbed her briefcase and purse before all but running out of her room. She yanked her phone from her purse and called Gustus, who answered happily before sensing the desperation in Lexa's voice as she explained that she needed him to drive her to the airport immediately. It was only a few minutes later that Lexa was speeding away from the hotel after assuring the hotel staff that her company would reach out to them to finalize all of the billing. She couldn't wait another second longer.

"Aden, it's Lexa," she said sternly after her young assistant answered his phone after only two rings.

 _"What's wrong?"_

"Clarke is in the hospital," Lexa blurted out. "Someone broke into her apartment, and I don't really know what happened but I need you to call Eva Porter and tell her that I had to leave DC for a family emergency. I just... I just can't talk to her right now. I can't deal with her right now."

 _"It's no problem, Lexa. I'll tell her right away."_

"Thank you, Aden," Lexa breathed out.

 _"Is there anything else I can do?"_

"No," Lexa answered. "I'll be arriving at the airport in a few minutes, so I can make my flight reservations when I get there."

 _"Alright. My phone will be on me all night, so call me for anything at any time."_

"I will," Lexa replied as she nodded. "Thank you."

They said their goodbyes and just a few minutes later, Gustus was whipping the car up to the curb and jumping out to head directly back to the trunk to retrieve Lexa's luggage. She let herself out of the car quickly and began to breathe heavily as she strained her eyes to see through the large glass windows for a glimpse of the nearest check-in counter. It wasn't until a black shirt in front of her face made her refocus, and she looked up to catch Gustus's gaze. The look on his face was a mixture of concern and strength, and he opened his arms in an invitation for the worried girl to hug him. Lexa immediately brought herself up to her tiptoes and latched her arms around his neck, falling heavily into his solid grasp. Her breath hitched, and she felt a small tear escape from her eye before she was being pulled away from the embrace. Her lip trembled as Gustus wiped his thumb over Lexa's runaway tear and gently squeezed her upper arm.

"Stay strong," he said commandingly.

Lexa nodded once in understanding and reached for her bags before rushing into the airport building and pushed her way through the crowd to an open spot at the check-in counter. She didn't think twice about buying the last first class ticket on the next flight home, which just so happened to be scheduled to leave in fifteen minutes. It was all the time Lexa needed to run down the expansive airport hallway from one end of the building to the exact opposite, and she breathlessly shoved her boarding pass to the attendant at the gate before hurrying down the jetway to find her seat before the plane took off. Luckily the flight went off without a hitch, and she didn't even bother retrieving her checked bag before heading outside to hail a cab. Hopefully her luggage would be held until she had more time to go back and get it later.

"Where is Clarke?" Lexa asked as she stepped up to the nurse's station, clearly not in the mood for any pleasantries.

"She was just transferred," Harper said, understanding immediately Lexa's lack of politeness. "Room 317."

Lexa nodded and turned towards the elevators, silently cursing her legs for not being able to move faster as she closed the distance between herself and the elevator doors hastily. Her heart pounded in her chest during the entire ride up, and she quickly glanced at her phone to make sure no one had tried to call her for any reason. When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Lexa stepped out to be greeted with the sight of Octavia mumbling softly with Lincoln as they held each other's hands and stood in front of the hospital room door. When Octavia caught sight of Lexa from the corner of her eye, she whipped her head around and started walking towards her.

"How is she?" Lexa asked before she had even reached the other brunette.

"She'll be okay," Octavia replied, much to the complete and utter relief of the distressed woman standing in front of her.

"What happened? Can I see her?" Lexa asked, not waiting for an answer to her first question before asking her next.

"Someone broke into her apartment," Octavia started as Lincoln walked up behind her. "Bellamy said it looked like her apartment was gone through, and he found her lying unconscious on her bedroom floor."

"Bellamy was there?" Lexa inquired. "At her apartment?"

"Yeah," Octavia confirmed. "He showed up to find her front door open, so he walked in figuring something was wrong."

"So... what... can I see her?" Lexa fumbled over her words as she tried to process all of this new information.

"She's sleeping," Octavia said as she shook her head. "Abby gave her enough pain medication to keep her asleep for the next day or two. Her ankle... it was so messed up..."

Lexa bit back her own tears as she watched Octavia break her gaze and begin to cry as if she was remembering some horrid scene playing out in her head. Lincoln put his hand on his fiancée's shoulder and looked over at Lexa.

"You should go in," he said softly. "She won't be able to hear you though."

Lexa nodded and trapped Octavia in a quick hug before slipping past them both and walking into the hospital room. The first thing she saw was Bellamy, standing over her with his hand on her forearm and studying her like she was some puzzle that he couldn't quite figure out. His head turned to meet Lexa's gaze, and Abby also turned from the opposite side of the bed to watch Lexa as she made her way deeper into the room. Lexa didn't think twice about stepping between Bellamy and her girlfriend, causing him to retract his hand and take a step back. Glassy green eyes roamed over the face in front of her, catching on a deep purple bruise staining the normally pale skin of her cheeks and travelling down her body to see her right foot wrapped in a thick swaddle of gauze and hanging in some kind of sling.

"She's asleep," Abby said softly, "but she's going to be okay."

Lexa nodded and lifted her hand to let her fingers gently trace the inside of her girlfriend's wrist. Tears continued to build in her eyes and formed small pools at the edge of her lower lids, threatening to spill at any time. With her lips parted so that she remembered to breathe, Lexa stepped even closer to the bed and tried to still all of the thoughts of what she wanted to say to Clarke in that very moment. She knew Clarke wouldn't be able to hear her, but she so desperately wanted to tell her that she was here, that she loved her, and that she wasn't going anywhere, but she remained silent as Abby pushed a chair under her legs. Lexa lowered herself onto the cushion without so much as a glance backwards and lifted her hand to Clarke's face. It wasn't lost on those huddled around the hospital bed that Clarke's eyelids fluttered at Lexa's small touch.

"Clarke," Lexa whispered into the room, only to be met with silence.

Abby and Bellamy seemed to be holding their breath as they watched the brunette continue to move her fingers gently along Clarke's jaw to her chin. Clarke's face was turned just slightly to the left, in direct line of where Lexa was sitting in front of her, and it could only take a small bit of imagination to picture those piercing blue eyes looking right back at her. Lexa swallowed thickly and opened her mouth to speak again.

"Clarke," she said in a voice just above a whisper and nearly fainted when Clarke's eyes opened softly and focused on her gaze.

Abby's mouth dropped as she watched her daughter looking at Lexa, thoroughly shocked that she was even aware enough to hear the brunette let alone open her eyes and look at her. Bellamy watched the exchange cautiously but didn't dare speak a single word while he watched everything play out. Lexa's tears began sliding down her cheeks as she clasped her right hand around Clarke's left and used her free hand to cup Clarke's cheek gently.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked as her voice cracked. "I'm here," she said weakly. "I'm right here, okay?"

The only indication that came from Clarke to confirm she had heard the brunette was the sight of her own tears beginning to pool in her eyes and slip down her cheeks as her gaze remained steadily trained on Lexa. She wiped the soft pale cheeks as lightly as she could and nearly broke down when Clarke shifted her face ever-so-gently into the palm of Lexa's hand. Blue eyes that were once shining with recognition were suddenly gone from view as Clarke closed her eyes, losing herself to the powerful pull of the drugs once again.


	19. Chapter 19

****11/24/16 EDIT: The way some readers disliked my take on Clarke's jealousy in this story has moved me to make a few changes here and there simply to bring down the intensity of her reactions slightly. None of the actual storyline has not been changed, just a bit of dialogue.**  
**

* * *

The pancake on her plate was cold, soaked through with syrup and only missing a few bites. Lexa was leaning over one of the hospital cafeteria tables with a fist propping up her chin as she stared hazily down at her breakfast. She had been at Clarke's side all night while she slept, occasionally letting herself slip in and out of a dream-like state but never really succumbing to it. It had been doctor's orders, Abby's specifically, for her to take a break and get some food, but eating was the last thing Lexa felt like doing. All she wanted was to see Clarke's familiar blue eyes again, sparkling up at her as she had grown so accustomed to seeing over the years they'd known each other.

 **Aden: Good morning, Lexa. Is there any news about Clarke yet?**

 **Lexa: She has a broken ankle, two fractured ribs, and a bruised cheekbone, but she is going to be alright. She's been sleeping since I got here, so I haven't had much of a chance to talk to her.**

Lexa sighed. She knew the accident wasn't something she could have stopped –what happened, happened– but there was still a part of her that ached knowing that she wasn't there to protect Clarke when she had needed it the most. Lexa wasn't a stranger to the gym, and she had taken quite a few combat training classes not to mention learning more than a few solid moves from Anya over the years. There was a good chance that the man who attacked Clarke wouldn't have been able to attack her if she had been there. Or maybe he would have, but Lexa thought she would have been able to reduce the number of injuries Clarke sustained.

 **Aden: That's great news.**

 **Aden: Is there anything you need me to do? Anything at all?**

Lexa thought for a moment and suddenly realized there was definitely something her assistant could do for her. It had been roughly ten hours since her flight landed, which meant that the luggage she never went to pick up at the baggage claim had remained at the airport for roughly ten hours as well.

 **Lexa: Actually, yes. I didn't stop to claim my checked luggage at the airport when I landed. Could you retrieve it for me and drop it off at my apartment? I'd like to stay at the hospital until Clarke wakes up.**

 **Aden: Absolutely. I'll leave now.**

 **Lexa: Thank you, Aden. I really appreciate it.**

 **Aden: Not a problem at all.**

Lexa smiled lightly at her phone as she read the last message from her assistant. She could just picture him scurrying around getting his things together before heading to the airport for her. He was always willing to go the extra mile, even suggesting to help out with things much beyond his normal responsibilities that came along with being an assistant. Lexa admired him for it, seeing a little bit of herself at that age in him, and she just knew he would be successful in life at whatever he decided to do as a career in the future.

Lexa's gaze drifted back to her plate, and she frowned slightly while she tapped the prongs of her fork against the cheap ceramic before placing her napkin over the pancake and pushing the tray a few inches away. Instead she grabbed the paper coffee cup just to her left and took a few sips before setting that down with an expression of disgust as well. Clarke was right – the hospital coffee was crap.

"Lexa?" A quiet voice asked behind the brunette's shoulder.

"Yes?" Lexa automatically replied as she turned around to look at whoever had called her name.

"Dr. Griffin is asking for you," Harper said softly.

"She's awake?" Lexa asked as her brows lifted and her eyes brightened.

"Abby," Harper clarified apologetically.

"Oh, of course," Lexa said as she nodded, feeling disappointed that Clarke wasn't awake and asking for her. "Is she in Clarke's room?"

"Yes," Harper confirmed. "I told her I'd come get you right away, but if you need to finish your breakfast–"

"No," Lexa quickly interjected. "I'll just take my coffee with me. I'm not that hungry anyways."

"I'm surprised you're even drinking that stuff," Harper said as she pointed towards the cup. "It's crap."

"That's what Clarke always says," Lexa replied without thinking.

"I'll bring you something actually _drinkable_ from the employee lounge," Harper said softly as she nodded her head knowingly.

"Thanks," Lexa replied as she grabbed her tray and coffee cup before walking over to the trash can and dumping everything in.

She made her way over towards the elevator and slumped against the back wall as it ascended to the third floor. The doors opened with a ding, and Lexa stepped out and briskly walked the distance from the lobby area in the patient wing to the door of Clarke's hospital room. She wasn't surprised to see Abby waiting for her, but what she was surprised to see was that she was waiting for her outside of the room door.

"She's awake," Abby said as Lexa stepped up to her.

"Can I–"

"You can see her," Abby cut in, "but she's pretty groggy."

Lexa nodded and looked past Abby's shoulder towards the room behind her, not really being able to concentrate on anything other than the fact that she wanted to see Clarke. Abby took a step aside, and Lexa quickly brushed past her and walked through the door that was slightly ajar. Clarke was lying completely still, but Lexa's stomach did a flip-flop for joy as she noticed blue eyes open and as alert as they could be under the influence of so many pain killers. Lexa couldn't stop the smile tugging at her lips as she rounded the bed, but Clarke didn't return the smile though she did hold Lexa's gaze as she stepped up to stand beside her.

"Clarke," Lexa breathed out in a sigh of relief, "how are you feeling?"

The blonde visibly swallowed, her throat parched from being asleep so soundly for so long. She attempted to lick her lips, but no moisture was there to properly wet them.

"I'm okay," she managed.

Lexa raised a hand up to cup her cheek just as she had done the previous night, but this time all she felt was a jaw clench ever-so-lightly under her fingertips. It caused Lexa to pause, and her eyes darted around Clarke's face as she tried desperately to read her girlfriend's expression. Abby stepped up to the opposite side of the bed and opened her mouth to begin speaking softly.

"We should probably talk about what happens next," the older doctor said as her gaze moved from Clarke and then over to Lexa.

Lexa withdrew her hand from Clarke's cheek and simply nodded her head.

"You've suffered some pretty serious injuries, but I'm more concerned about the concussion you sustained," Abby said as she directed her words toward Clarke. "Our scans show no extensive trauma to the brain, which is good."

Lexa dropped her gaze from the older surgeon to look at Clarke, who was expressionlessly looking up at her mother as if she already knew the extent of her own injuries. Lexa realized this conversation was probably more for her sake than Clarke's, but she still felt herself comfortingly wrapping her fingers around Clarke's wrist as it laid heavily against the mattress.

"Unfortunately with the combination of your head trauma and the current state of your ankle," Abby continued as she pointed down at Clarke's right foot, "you will need to stay at the hospital for a few weeks."

"Hell no, I'm not staying here for a few weeks," Clarke quickly interjected, her voice still hoarse from lack of moisture.

Lexa moved silently and reached for a cup on the small table beside Clarke's bed where she had readied a pitcher of water under Abby's approval. She filled the glass partially and handed it to Clarke, who took it hesitantly. She winced as she sipped the cool liquid past her lips and listened for her mother to respond, which she did quickly.

"Clarke," Abby started in her most motherly tone, "this is not up for debate."

"You and I both know I don't have to stay here for a few weeks," Clarke croaked out as she lowered the cup from her mouth. "When I'm cleared of my head injury, I'm going home."

Abby huffed out a breath, knowing that when her daughter decided on something it was going to happen, and shared a look with Clarke for a few silent seconds. The blonde remained steadfast in her gaze and didn't break it until Abby looked over at Lexa before looking back to Clarke. She pursed her lips and circled her thoughts around her head for another moment before finally speaking again.

"If you insist on going back home," Abby said slowly, "then I insist you have someone there to take care of you."

Clarke's eyes darted over to Lexa, who was already staring at her cautiously, before breaking her gaze and looking around the room as if to try and find something to distract her. Clarke sighed, and the three women remained silent for another few seconds before Abby finally spoke up.

"If it's not Lexa, then it's going to be me," she said. "So take your pick."

"Fine," Clarke replied softly. It was a strong statement, but it didn't sound like an angry statement or a sad statement. It actually sounded quite emotionless, which made Lexa's heart drop a little bit.

"You'll have to redress the bandages on her ankle daily before we get her into a cast," Abby said as she look over at Lexa. "She'll need to restrict her movements for at least two weeks, meaning she shouldn't be trying to get up for anything other than to use to bathroom."

Clarke sighed quietly and turned her head to look out the window. Both women looked down at the blonde, knowing immediately that she probably didn't want to be hearing about how she would need to be taken care of for the next several weeks.

"Let's go over the details outside so that Clarke can get some more rest," Abby said as she looked over at Lexa.

Lexa nodded and moved her attention back to Clarke before speaking softly.

"I'll be back later, okay?" She asked hopefully.

Clarke nodded silently a few times without making eye contact even as she felt the brunette place a gentle kiss on the top of her head before turning and walking out of the room with her mother following closely behind. There was so much going through her head, between the attack and the lingering arguments between her and Lexa, and Clarke was feeling overwhelmed. Her emotional turmoil seemed to be manifesting into her physical pain, and withdrawing herself from the conversations going on around her was all she could do to cope.

"Will you be able to handle this, Lexa?" Abby asked when they were finally outside of Clarke's room.

"Of course," Lexa replied sincerely. Taking care of Clarke after something so terrible had happened was the only thing in the forefront of Lexa's mind at the moment.

"I know you're more than capable of taking care of her," Abby clarified, "but with work and everything... do you think you'll be able to manage?"

"I've accrued some personal time," Lexa assured Abby. "My boss won't mind if I use it last minute, and I can always work remotely if there's some kind of an emergency."

"Alright," Abby agreed with a small nod. "Let's take a seat so we can talk."

Lexa nodded and followed Abby over to a secluded section of the lobby so that they could have a comprehensive conversation about Clarke's care when she was discharged from the hospital within the next couple of days. Harper suddenly appeared and delivered Lexa's coffee to her with a kind smile before excusing herself back to work quickly. They spoke for another twenty minutes or so until they'd covered everything, and that was precisely the time that Lexa's cell phone began to ring. Abby excused herself, and Lexa answered the call from her assistant.

"Hi, Aden," Lexa said kindly as she lifted the coffee cup to her lips to take a sip.

 _"So I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we have a problem."_

"Why, what's going on?" Lexa asked as her eyebrows knitted together.

 _"I just got to your apartment with your luggage, and based on how organized you keep your office at work... I'm pretty sure that your apartment has been broken into."_

"What?!" Lexa snapped into the phone as a tone of complete shock crept into her voice.

Clarke's apartment was broken into and now hers too? What the hell was going on?

"Aden, if you're inside," Lexa quickly cut in, "get out immediately and call the police. I'll be right there."

She heard Aden agree and quickly ended the call as she walked back towards Clarke's room. Her mind was racing with questions and she was feeling worried for Aden's safety in the case that the intruders might still be inside or nearby, but she pushed those thoughts away just long enough to address Clarke calmly as stepped back inside her room. Sleepy eyes caught her gaze, but Clarke remained silent as she watched Lexa step up to her bed.

"I just wanted to let you know that I need to stop by my apartment," Lexa said softly, "but I'll be back later today."

"Okay," Clarke simply responded.

Lexa swallowed and lifted her hand to Clarke's face. She rested her palm against the cheek not stained with an angry purple bruise and lowered her eyes to Clarke's lips. She wanted to kiss her so badly. It had been days since she had felt Clarke against her, and it was something she'd craved every minute of every hour or every day that passed while they were away. She wanted to hold her, and she wanted everything to just to go back to normal. She wanted. She wanted.

"I also wanted to... tell you..." Lexa said as her voice trembled with emotion, "I don't know what I would have done... if I'd have lost you..."

Her tears were catching at the corners of her eyes, and Clarke was clenching her jaw under the palm of her hand. They looked at each other for a few silent seconds before Lexa finally spoke up again.

"I just..." Lexa faltered, "I..."

 _I love you._

 _I love you._

 _I love you._

"I'm... so glad you're okay," she finished.

It wasn't a lie. Lexa was thrilled beyond anything that Clarke was alive and well (enough), but Lexa didn't want to say those three little words when she wasn't sure whether Clarke was in the right frame of mind to hear them. Anya's words echoed in her head for a split second, but Lexa pushed them away when she felt the blonde nodding her head under her hand. Clarke's eyes dulled for a moment before she angled her face away from the brunette's touch and rested her cheek against the cool fabric of the pillow beneath her head. Lexa sighed quietly and moved forward to press a light kiss to Clarke's cheek before gently tracing her fingers over the shell of Clarke's ear and tucking a strand of messy blonde hair behind it. She stepped away from her bed and hurried out the door, suddenly remembering the situation waiting for her back at her apartment.

* * *

"Try to have this list of missing property report filled out within the next twenty-four hours," the officer said to Lexa as he handed over a bundle of papers stapled together. "The quicker we have a list, the quicker we can start looking for your property and hopefully find the person or persons responsible."

"Understood," Lexa replied as she took the packet from the officer and glanced over it quickly.

"You can drop the packet off at the station yourself or call an officer to come pick it up for you," the officer told her.

"I'll drop it off myself tomorrow morning," Lexa informed the man.

"We'll conduct some interviews with your neighbors to see if they heard anything out of the ordinary while you were gone."

"Okay," Lexa simply replied as she looked around her apartment.

All of her furniture was virtually undisturbed aside from a few drawers not having been closed properly. A lampshade by the couch in the living room was askew, and there was large scuff mark painted just above the baseboard on her wall by the front door. Her loose belongings had definitely been rifled through, and random papers and pieces of mail were spread across her counter tops while a few had even made it to the floor. The curtains in her living room were disturbed, hanging awkwardly in the middle of her large floor-to-ceiling window as opposed to on either side of it. She hadn't even gone into her bedroom yet, as she had to stop herself after seeing the disaster made in her office before it all overwhelmed her. Not only did she feel her privacy was invaded and her things so carelessly gone through, but she was also struggling with all of the emotions surrounding Clarke's attach that it made everything just that much more difficult to process.

"You did the right thing in calling us, young man," the officer directed at Aden.

"Yes, sir," Aden replied after swallowing thickly. Lexa couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a bit of trepidation in his eyes.

"We'll keep in contact, Miss Woods," the officer interrupted the brunette's thoughts. "Be cautious and call us if you need anything."

"Thank you," Lexa replied as she nodded and stepped to the side to let the officer pass.

The other two police officers that had been assisting on the scene were already waiting outside. Lexa had given them a statement, explaining how she had been out of town but did mention that her girlfriend's apartment had also been broken into the previous night. The officers shared a look as if they were silently communicating it was possible that the two break-ins were related, but none of them actually spoke up to confirm. Lexa let a small sigh slip past her lips as she looked down at the missing items list and back up at her assistant, who was now looking quite pale and more nervous than before.

"Aden?" Lexa questioned lightly. "Are you alright?"

"I, um..." he started unsteadily, "uh..."

Lexa waited patiently for him to continue, knowing that her assistant wasn't one to muddle his words often.

"I think," Aden started again before pausing to continue as he closed his eyes, "I think I might have an idea... of who broke into your apartment."

Lexa's chest clenched.

"You do?" She asked cautiously. "Who?"

"I think... we better... sit down," Aden offered as he finally made eye contact with his boss. Lexa simply nodded and ushered him to her dining room table after closing her apartment door and locking it.

She listened in utter captivation as Aden explained to her that it had all started when he saw the article about her and Eva in that trashy magazine. He assured her that he didn't believe what he read in it but that the article had placed doubts in his mind about whether Eva Porter could be, should be, trusted. He admitted that he was acting out of a sense of protectiveness over Lexa when he spoke to his roommate about his plan to coerce Andrew Porter into participating in trying to find blackmail material on the shady councilwoman, thinking if Eva ever dared to threaten Lexa's reputation again that he would have something on hand to quiet her for good.

He explained to Lexa that it was only then when he let his roommate, Monty "coder extraordinaire" Green, in on his little plan that Aden learned about his roommate's connection to a security company that was currently investigating Porter Holdings Group. Monty actually worked for said security company and was privy to the details of the case being established against the Porter family and their powerhouse company. Lexa took a deep breath as she listened to Aden describing his roommate as being 'excited' to be taking on the challenge of worming his way into another company's encrypted files, referring to himself as some kind of 'geeky double-agent' in the process. Her mind was racing as she thought about all of the legal implications Aden had unknowingly thrust himself into by getting involved in an undercover mission to illegally obtain documents.

"When we had the plan completely figured out, we presented it to Andrew... cautiously," Aden said as he chose his words carefully. "It didn't take very much for him to agree to help us. He kind of hates his sister."

 _'Who doesn't?'_ Lexa thought but simply nodded in response instead.

"Anyways, we did it," Aden said with a sigh. "Andrew got into his sister's office while she was in DC with you and logged into her computer using her security credentials so not to raise any red flags... and then Monty walked him through hacking into the files and copying them to a flash drive."

Lexa blinked a few times and nodded, still not saying anything in response as she could sense there was more to the story.

"Anyways," Aden continued, "we found a lot of stuff on that encrypted hard drive. Folders upon folders stuffed with documents ranging from doctored copies of their company's tax returns, to emails detailing who they were bribing and for how much, to unknown bank account information... just piles of evidence."

Lexa's eyes widened as she took in everything Aden was telling her and finally started to realize how dangerous Eva Porter most likely was, including every member of her family and her company as a whole.

"And that's when Monty suggested we reach out to his employer for help because we knew we had gotten in really deep," Aden said as his voice lowered an octave. "He gave me the name and number of someone he knew we could trust because he was actually the one leading the investigation of the Porter Holdings Group case... and his name is... Bellamy Blake."

Lexa's mouth dropped as she heard the name fall from her assistant's lips, and all of the dots finally seemed to connect in her brain. Aden was trying to bring down Eva Porter's family company while working with Bellamy, who just so happened to have a connection to both her and Clarke, whose apartments had just so happened to be broken into within the last few days. It all made sense, and Lexa felt herself slumping in her chair as she continued to process. The one thing that still made her wonder though was why Aden mentioned he knew who had broken into her apartment.

"Aden," Lexa finally said as she broke the silence between them, "you said that you thought you knew who broke into my apartment?"

"Right," Aden replied with a sigh. "I mean, I don't know specifically the person or persons, but I just recently found out from Bellamy that he knew you and Clarke... so I'm just taking a wild guess that Eva somehow found out about the security breach and wanted to try and recover any copies of documents that could be used against her."

There was a short pause before Aden spoke again.

"If I also had to guess... based on what could only be described as her passionate distaste of Clarke... I'd say she probably thinks Clarke is the one behind this."

Lexa snapped her eyes up at her assistant and immediately saw that he was tearing up with guilt.

"Lexa," Aden started as his voice cracked, "if I would have known that Clarke would get hurt..."

"Hey," Lexa interrupted and straightened up in her chair to lean over and place a comforting hand on her assistant's arm, "do not do that to yourself. You had no way of knowing how this would all play out. You didn't even know that Bellamy knew Clarke, so don't go blaming yourself."

"I just... I just thought I was doing the right thing, you know?" Aden said as a single tear slipped down his cheek. "I was just trying to... trying to protect you."

"I know that," Lexa said as she shook her head. "I don't blame you for that. I don't blame you for anything."

Aden nodded unconvincingly, and Lexa squeezed her hand around his arm so that he would look up at her. His eyes glistened with more unshed tears, and his jaw clenched as he tried to keep his composure.

"Listen to me," Lexa said slowly, "I don't blame you. Okay?"

"Okay," he replied.

"Alright, so..." Lexa said as she sighed heavily and pulled a hand through her hair, "everything you and Monty got, all of the evidence, was obtained illegally which unfortunately means it won't be admissible in court."

"Yeah," Aden agreed as he quickly wiped his cheek clear. "After I told Bellamy the whole story, he said the same thing. So he and his team were going to stay in the city for a while to try and figure out how to get the evidence legally."

The lawyer side of Lexa's brain was already racing with possibilities, and she knew it was time for her to get involved now that, well, she was involved. If Aden's guess was right, and she was pretty positive it was, Eva had something to do with orchestrating the break-ins of her and Clarke's apartments. If she could somehow tie Eva to it...

"I understand if you want me to butt out," Aden said, breaking Lexa's train of thought, "but I'm more than willing to help if you need it."

"I appreciate it," Lexa answered genuinely. "How about for now we order a pizza for lunch because I'm starving, and you can help me fill out this missing items list?"

Aden nodded in agreement as he sighed, relieved that Lexa wasn't mad or disappointed at his clearly botched attempt to come to her rescue. They chatted a bit more about Eva Porter and the mess they'd found themselves in while they munched on their pizza. Lexa took to looking through each room of her apartment, from top to bottom, calling out items that were missing for Aden to write down. She was as specific as possible, making him take notes about brand names and model years and other small minutiae that could be used to identify her items more easily. He nodded after each thing he wrote down, and they found themselves back in the kitchen having gone around her apartment full-circle.

"Wow," Lexa mumbled as she opened the refrigerator to pull out another round of sodas for them both.

"What?" Aden asked curiously as he scrunched his eyebrows and craned his head past her shoulders to try and see what she was looking at.

"Apparently the thief got thirsty," Lexa said as she handed a can to Aden. "There's a beer missing from my fridge."

Aden rolled his eyes and scoffed out a small laugh.

"Unless you got thirsty while you waited for me to get here and snuck it before the cops came?" Lexa teased with a smirk.

"I told you, Lexa," Aden said, "I don't drink. I'm not old enough."

"Right... because that's stopped countless young college guys before..." Lexa teased again.

They shared a hearty laugh, a welcomed changed from the heavy conversation they'd been having, and Aden finally excused himself for the afternoon after about another twenty minutes of small talk. Lexa had been thankful of Aden's presence as she found it to be a momentary distraction from her apartment and the fact that Clarke was back at the hospital. Clarke. Suddenly all she wanted to do was rush back to her side and just look at her, be with her, hear her, feel her.

She wanted to stay the night with Clarke again, so she hopped in the shower to clean herself before heading back to the hospital. It wasn't thirty minutes later that Lexa found herself gathering a few things to take with her and rushing out of her apartment to get on her way. Her hair was wet, and she could feel it seeping from her ponytail though the back of her shirt but she really couldn't have cared less. She wasn't about to take time to properly dry and style it if it meant spending any more of her time away from Clarke, the one person she wanted to see the most but who was acting as though she didn't feel the same. Lexa knew they had a few unanswered questions between them, but the pull she felt to find herself back in her best friend's arms was too strong to deny and it kept nagging at her heard every time she thought about the blonde.

* * *

"Clarke?" Bellamy asked quietly as he peeked his head around her door.

"Hey," Clarke rasped, her voice still hoarse from the inordinate amount of sleep she'd had over the past 24 hours.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he slowly walked over to her bed.

"Like shit," Clarke simply said as she tried to wriggle herself higher on the bed.

"Look, I know you're probably still mad at me for what happened but–"

"Let me just interrupt for a second," Clarke said. "I think I owe you one hell of a thanks for showing up at my apartment and calling an ambulance for me."

Bellamy nodded a few times but said nothing.

"But that still doesn't mean I'm not royally pissed at you for trying to kiss me," Clarke said as she narrowed her eyes.

"Clarke, I–"

"What the hell were you thinking?" Clarke cut him off, a habit she had been overusing during the past few weeks.

"I was thinking..." Bellamy started, "I was thinking that you looked beautiful. And I was thinking about how good it felt to have you in my arms. I was thinking... if I didn't go for it I'd hate myself forever."

Clarke clenched her jaw and let out a small sigh.

"Listen, Clarke," Bellamy said as he took a step closer, "about you and Lexa..."

Clarke's heart flipped in her chest at the mere mention of her best friend's name.

"I didn't know," he confessed as he shook his head in disbelief. "If I would have known, I never would have... tried to... I'm sorry."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Clarke nodded in understanding.

"Alright," Clarke offered before a small knock sounded on the door frame.

Clarke looked over to see Lexa step just a few inches into the room and look over at Bellamy before setting her gaze back to Clarke. Bellamy said something about needing to get back to work and made a move to excuse himself before turning towards the door. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Lexa stop him with a gentle hand to his forearm.

"I spoke with Aden today, and I think we need to talk soon," Lexa said softly enough to be heard but not by Clarke.

Bellamy simply nodded his head and said, "call me any time."

Lexa nodded in acknowledgment and retracted her hand, letting him pass by her and slip out the door. Clarke looked away quickly as Lexa slowly approached her and sighed when the brunette found a seat by the head of the bed. There was a palpable tension between them as they sat in silence for a moment before Clarke finally spoke.

"It took you four hours to wash your hair?" She heard herself saying and immediately regretted her harsh tone.

"No, I had a few other things to take care of," Lexa explained with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Clarke noticed the audible emotion in Lexa's voice and decided it was best not to reply, fearing what she wanted to say might not come out the way she wanted it to. So instead she sighed and flicked her eyes over to Lexa for a split second before shifting them to the opposite side of the room once again. A small sigh came tumbling past Lexa's lips as she pinched the bridge of her nose and clenched her eyes shut.

"Clarke," she said before placing her hand on the blonde's forearm. "Please talk to me. Tell me what's going on in your head."

Clarke swallowed audibly and willed herself not to cry. She could hear the desperation in Lexa's voice. She could hear the girl practically pleading with her to open up, but for some reason her own stubbornness pushed its way to the forefront of her mood and she found herself reluctant to answer Lexa's request. She felt a purposeful squeeze around her arm and dared to look over at worried green eyes before her own thoughts were interrupted by someone else walking through her hospital room door.

"Hey, blondie," Octavia said as she wheeled Raven in front of her.

Clarke looked over to her friends, and Lexa felt her heart drop. Never had she been so disappointed to see the two girls in her life, but she knew it was only for selfish reasons. She just wanted to be alone with her girlfriend, and her thoughts seemed to manifest themselves into her touch as she didn't even notice how her thumb was lightly stroking the outside of Clarke's hand and down each of her fingers as if she was afraid the blonde would magically vanish into thin air at a moment's notice.

"Hey guys," Clarke replied with a light smile.

"Shit, Clarke," Raven said while her eyes widened as she looked at the leg hanging from the sling over her bed. "What the hell _happened_?"

Octavia had let Raven know about Clarke's attack the day before, but she hadn't told her anything about the actual events of what took place because she herself had no idea what happened. Clarke hadn't actually voiced the story to anyone as of that moment, so all three of the girls were ready to hear her explain. With a small sigh, Clarke rubbed at her eyes as if she was trying to clear her mind and began to speak quietly.

"I left the restaurant where I'd had dinner with Bellamy," she started, "and found myself in bed at like... I don't know... seven o'clock?"

"On a Friday night?" Raven interrupted as Octavia positioned her by Clarke's bed and found a chair for herself.

"Lame," Octavia chimed in as she plopped down in her seat.

"I was exhausted and... drained," Clarke decided on as she glanced over to Lexa. "Anyways, I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know I'm being jolted awake by the sound of my keys crashing to the floor in my kitchen."

"You didn't hear the guy busting down your door?" Octavia asked.

"He could have picked the lock or something," Raven offered before turning her gaze back to Clarke who was looking more guilty by the second.

Lexa knew immediately what her girlfriend wasn't admitting but she didn't speak up. She knew Clarke didn't need for her friends to somehow think she'd been partially to blame for her apartment being broken into because she'd forgotten to lock her door as she had done so many times in the past. So Lexa kept her mouth shut and continued her gentle caresses against Clarke's skin, even as the blonde made no indication to acknowledge her touch.

"Anyways," Clarke continued, "I looked up and saw this guy standing in the doorway of my bedroom. He was huge. Like a football player. He had long brown hair and tiny eyes."

Lexa watched carefully as Clarke lowered her gaze to focus on nothing in particular and seemed to be recalling the memory as she spoke. She felt a tiny tremor shake through Clarke's hand and immediately gave her a reassuring squeeze, though by Clarke's reaction she took it as anything but. Lexa's heart dropped for the second time that day as a small frown made its way onto her lips.

"I made a move," Clarke said. "I tried to get out of bed and run out the door, but my sheets tangled around my left foot, and he came charging at me before I could... before... he just tackled me and knocked the air out of me. I was blacking out because I couldn't catch my breath."

Lexa's nostrils flared with anger as she listened to Clarke describe her moment of horror, and there was something inside of Lexa threatening to brake free as her rage built up with every new word that came out of her best friend's mouth. Octavia and Raven looked just as stunned as they listened to all the gory details, but Clarke was determined to get it out. She wanted to tell her story and just be done with it.

"Anyways, we struggled for what felt like minutes but was probably only a few seconds, and then I heard a voice," Clarke explained.

"A voice?" Lexa heard herself ask.

"There was more than one person there?" Octavia piped up.

"Yeah," Clarke confirmed. "I didn't see him though... but I heard him."

"What did he say?" Raven asked quietly.

"He said _'she isn't supposed to be here'_ " Clarke roughly recalled.

"What the hell does that mean?" Raven blurted out.

"It means they were probably planning on breaking in when Clarke wasn't home," Lexa said. "She must have surprised them."

"Well damn," Raven said. "I guess that's... comforting?"

When she was met by the blank expressions of her friends, Raven spoke up to explain herself.

"I mean, at least it doesn't sound like he was some creepy guy stalking you and planning to murder you," she said. "He probably just freaked when he realized you were home and you saw his face."

"Yeah," Clarke agreed weakly.

"So what happened after that?" Octavia asked.

"He hit me," Clarke said as she gestured to her swollen, discolored cheek. "I blacked out. Next thing I knew I was in the hospital."

"What fucking good luck that Bellamy went to your apartment to make sure you got home safe," Octavia offered genuinely.

"Mmm," Clarke hummed in not-so-complete agreement.

Yes Bellamy had gone back to her apartment, but it wasn't to make sure she got home safe. He went there to apologize for almost kissing her while they were dancing at the jazz club she'd stormed out of and left him behind in. The memory of the almost kiss made Clarke start to feel uncomfortable as she was lying there being calmed by the gentleness of Lexa's fingers against her skin (though she wouldn't bring herself to admit it), and she struggled to push herself further up the semi-reclined hospital bed. Lexa immediately stood to help Clarke move, and she brought her hands to rest on either side of Clarke's waist.

"Lexa, stop!" Clarke exclaimed, the frantic tone in her voice fueled mostly by the pain shooting around her rib cage. "I have broken ribs, remember?"

The words themselves were enough to make Lexa snatch her hands away as if the other girl was on fire, and it was the mix between brokenness and pain in Clarke's eyes that made Lexa's heart drop for the third time that day. She looked down at her girlfriend as if she'd been slapped in the face, and she couldn't help the tears as they pooled in her eyes. Panicked blue eyes met hers, and Lexa swore she saw a flash of regret pass across Clarke's face before she turned around and walked calmly out of the room just as her tears began to pour down her cheeks. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was being taken in by short gasps, and Lexa didn't even realize that Octavia had run out after her until she felt herself being pulled into a familiar embrace.

She wrapped her arms around Octavia's shoulders and buried her face in soft brunette hair while she let sob after sob wrack her body while the only thing keeping Lexa standing was Octavia's strong arms around her waist. Small words of understanding were being whispered to Lexa as she wept, and Octavia made no indication of moving even a single inch. She wanted Lexa to know that she was here for her, no matter what, no matter for how long, until she was strong enough to stand on her own. As Lexa's body movements began to slow, Octavia started to run one of her hands up and down the other girl's back in an effort to calm her. It worked, and Lexa felt herself pulling away from Octavia to wipe her face. Lexa didn't notice that while she had been crying a nurse had slipped a box of tissues into Octavia's hand, which she presented to Lexa as soon as she had pulled away from their embrace. Lexa spent a few minutes wiping her face and blowing her nose before attempting to speak.

"She's barely listening to me," Lexa confessed as fresh waves of tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm here, trying to help her, trying to comfort her but it's like she barely knows I'm here."

"I know," Octavia agrees.

She knew Clarke was likely still upset at Lexa, but there was never any use in making someone talk when they're not ready to. Unfortunately for Lexa, Lexa was ready to talk and Clarke was not. Octavia stood rubbing her friend's back a few more times before an idea popped into her head.

"Do you want to grab something in the cafeteria together?" Octavia asked. "Take a little breather?"

Lexa nodded in agreement and began to sop up her tears for the second time while Octavia moved towards Clarke's door and peeked in.

"Lexa and I are going to get some dinner in the cafeteria," Octavia directed at Clarke who looked like she had been crying too. "I'll come say goodnight before I leave, okay?"

Clarke nodded in understanding before Octavia spun on her heels and walked back out the door. Octavia did come and say goodnight before she left, but Lexa didn't come back with her. Raven had been whisked away to her physical therapy session, leaving Clarke alone for the rest of the night. She did the only thing she could do best while she was still being pumped with pain medication, and she went to sleep.

It was five hours later that she woke up, glancing at the clock by her bed to read the time to be roughly midnight. She sighed and blinked a few times as she regained her focus to see Lexa, scrunched uncomfortably in a chair facing towards her by the very end of the bed, sleeping soundly. Clarke felt her heart ache in her chest as she stared at her best friend, her girlfriend, for a few moments before closing her eyes and losing herself to sleep once again.

* * *

Lexa rose before Clarke the following morning. She wanted to get an early start on the day, knowing that she would be busy for most of it but wanted to leave time to spend time with Clarke later, even if all they did was sit in silence. She wasn't going to push her, she was just going to be there for her. It's what Lexa believed Clarke needed above anything else at this point, and Lexa wanted to be the one to give it to her. She quietly gathered her things and left a note on Clarke's bedside table before leaning down to place a whisper of a kiss on Clarke's cheek before she left.

The first place she needed to go was her own apartment. The luggage from her trip to the DC Expo was still sitting in her entry way, and she had no idea if any of the toiletries in her bag had been leaking due to her rushed packing job in her desperation to get home to Clarke. When she finally arrived at her apartment and unzipped her suitcase, she was pleasantly surprised to find that nothing was leaking although every one of her suits were in desperate need of dry cleaning. She separated her business attire from her casual wear and shoved everything into two separate laundry bags before rinsing her toiletries and packing them away in her bathroom, which had ended up being one of the only rooms that remained in-tact as a result of the break-in. Her luggage was carefully stored away in her office closet, and Lexa began the monumental task of organizing the state disarray her apartment was currently in.

She sighed deeply as she walked over to her large wooden desk and surveyed the cracked wood and large splinters on the floor as a result of the intruders prying open her locked drawers to get at her client files. Almost everything had been stolen from her home office, none of it pertinent to the Porter Holdings Group case, though the intruders probably didn't know that. The files that were stolen Lexa had copies of back at her company office, but they lacked any additional notes Lexa may have added to them while working on them at home. Everything that was stolen was replaceable, which Lexa secretly rejoiced over. She threw the broken pieces of wood into the trash and gave the floors a thorough sweep and the rug a good vacuum before moving on to the rest of her apartment. Luckily all she had to address in the other rooms was straightening the jumbled contents of drawers gone though and picking up random papers from the floor and putting them back into their rightful place. There were a few crooked pictures on her walls that were easy enough for Lexa to fix with a small touch of her fingers, and the large black scuff mark on the wall by her front door came off quickly with just a damp sponge and a little elbow grease.

When she'd finished in her own apartment, Lexa heaved both bags of laundry over her shoulders and made her way down and out of the building to call a cab. She dropped off her dry cleaning at her usual place and then rode in the same cab over to Clarke's apartment. She stepped in, having gotten a key from Abby a couple days earlier, and looked around. Lexa noted that Clarke's apartment looked much more put together than her own, which was probably due to the fact that Clarke had been there at the time of the break-in and foiled their original plan which then didn't allow them the same amount of time to ransack the apartment as they had anticipated they would have. She went straight to Clarke's bedroom and gathered up her dirty laundry to combine with her own in a large load that she started right away. As she closed the hallway closet door in front of the stacked washer and dryer, Lexa's gaze was caught by something she hadn't expected.

She stepped up to the doorway of the second bedroom, once Octavia's, and flipped the light on. In the middle of the room stood Clarke's largest easel with a canvas propped against it. Lexa walked over to the painting, which she could tell was still in progress, and let her eyes dance across the deep blues and sandy browns that looked to be creating one of the most beautiful backdrops that Clarke had ever created. She wondered when she had started the painting, having remembered nothing about Clarke mentioning it to her. Maybe she had started it while she was gone? She didn't even feel herself moving until the pads of her fingertips were brushing along a small swirl of colors on the left side of the painting that caught her eye for some reason. She admired the canvas for another few moments before turning her attention to the numerous paint tubes lying haphazardly around the easel and the cleaned paint brushes covering nearly every solid surface in the room. She quickly tucked away all of the art supplies into what Lexa assumed were new organizational bins that Clarke had recently purchased, and she tidied up the rest of the clutter around the room. She drew the blinds and curtains closed and walked out of the room, turning the light off on her way.

Picking up around the rest of her apartment went quickly as there wasn't much out of place, so Lexa took it upon herself to give every room a deep clean. She knew Clarke would appreciate coming home to a sparkling clean apartment much more than a dirty one, so she happily moved from room to room and didn't leave for the next until it was sparkling from floor to ceiling. She stripped Clarke's bed sheets and tossed them over by the washing machine to give them a good cleaning. After a quick trip to the kitchen for a bucket of soapy water and a sponge, she found herself hunched over on her hands and knees as she violently scrubbed away the blood stain Clarke had left behind on the night of the attack. She moved into the kitchen and cleaned it thoroughly, even going through her (almost empty) refrigerator and throwing out all the expired food and condiments. She took out every shelf and wiped them down before scrubbing the inside of the fridge and doing the same for the freezer.

After a quick rearrange of what was in the washer was put in the dryer and what was piled on the floor was put into the washer, Lexa grabbed her phone and her purse and headed out to the grocery store to pick up food, lots of food, because Clarke literally had nothing except for one box of Pop-Tarts with one measly packet left inside. She was well aware that Clarke usually bought her meals on the go, and Lexa was excited about being able to cook for her while she was staying at Clarke's apartment during her recovery. There was something so domestic about food shopping and planning out meals for her girlfriend, and Lexa found herself smiling as she picked through the fresh fruits and vegetables section at the market. She got everything she'd need for her favorite soup recipe and a cart full of ingredients for various other meals she planned on making throughout the week, and she made her way to the checkout lines to pay for everything.

Lexa had to take a cab back to Clarke's apartment due to the ridiculous amount of bags resulting from her trip to the grocery store, but it only took her a few minutes to put everything in its place in the kitchen. She spent a little more time folding the freshly dried load of laundry and made sure to pop Clarke's bed sheets into the dryer before she headed out. But before she made her way back to the hospital, Lexa stopped by the police station to drop off the completed missing items list she and Aden had filled out the day before. She was surprised to see the station so busy but waited in line patiently for her turn. She explained to the officer behind the counter that she was there to submit her list and didn't hesitate to ask a few questions about her case while she was there.

"So can I be expecting any kind of follow up on the case by a certain time?" Lexa asked.

"Ma'am, unfortunately home break-ins don't top the priority list of open cases," the officer politely explained, "so I wouldn't be surprised if you hear anything at all until your personal property turns up, if at all."

"I understand there wasn't a violent crime involved in the break-in at my apartment," Lexa started, "but I have a strong sense that what happened to me is connected to an assault that happened on my girlfriend a few days ago. It's imperative that both cases be looked at in connection with one another, and for that reason I believe it should be on the department's priority list."

"I understand your concern," the officer sympathized, "and I can certainly make notes to that effect in the file, but I can't promise that your case will be pushed further up the line as any other cases of the same nature."

Lexa sighed and fidgeted with the packet of papers in her hand. She wanted, no, she needed her case to be a top priority if she had any hope of connecting Eva to the facilitation of the break-ins and assault on Clarke. It was normal for the police to be preoccupied with the crimes that were more violent in nature, but it was still disappointing for Lexa to hear that there wasn't a strong possibility that much of anything would be done to follow up on her case within a timely manner. She suddenly got an idea and cleared her throat before speaking.

"Am I able to get a copy of this before I leave it?" Lexa asked as she pointed down to the papers in her hand.

"Of course," the officer replied as she reached for the packet, "I'll be right back."

Lexa waited patiently for the officer to return with her copies, and she quickly flipped through to make sure all of the pages had been scanned before thanking the officer and leaving the station. As she began her walk to the hospital, Lexa reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. She swiped over a now familiar name and waited a few rings before hearing a voice answer on the other line.

 _"This is Gustus."_

"Hi Gustus, it's Lexa," she said in the phone, her voice full of relief as she spoke.

 _"Lexa. How is Clarke?"_

"She'll be okay," Lexa answered with a long sigh. "Her ankle is broken, and she has a few fractured ribs and a concussion, but she's going to be okay."

 _"That's great news. I've been worried about her, and you, for the last couple days."_

"I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner, but things have just been crazy," Lexa apologized. "Turns out my apartment was broken into as well as Clarke's."

 _"You're kidding."_

"No," Lexa confirmed, "and I think I know who was behind it."

 _"Eva?"_

"Yes," Lexa replied, "which leads me to the main reason I'm calling. The police department as a whole isn't paying too much attention to my case since it wasn't a violent crime, but I'm running against the clock here and need to find something that connects Eva with both my break-in and Clarke's as well as her assault. And I need it as soon as possible."

 _"Hmm... you know I actually have an old Army buddy of mine in the department, who I know would be more than willing to put in a bit of overtime on your case."_

"That would be incredible," Lexa said with a sigh of relief. "I actually already have a few ideas that could possibly turn out to tie both crimes together, so it might be helpful for me to be able to get in contact with your friend to talk some things over."

 _"Absolutely. I'll give him a call and explain the situation so that you two can get in touch right away."_

"Thank you so much," Lexa replied meaningfully. She was more grateful to Gustus than she could express over the phone, but she knew he would pick up on her sincerity regardless.

 _"You're welcome, Lexa. Anytime I can help, I will."_

"The same goes for me," she replied softly.

They said their goodbyes just as Lexa stepped up to the main hospital doors and ended the call as she walked into the large building. She was greeted with a sea of visitors, just like herself, as she made her way to the elevators. She had practically memorized the floor plan of the hospital over the years of bringing Clarke coffee, meeting her for lunch, visiting Raven during and after her surgeries, and now visiting Clarke in her own room as she recovered from her recent assault. A quick mental check of everything she'd wanted to do that day successfully completed in her mind as the elevator doors opened to her destination floor. She was relieved to see Abby walking down the hallway and quickly increased her pace to catch up to her.

"Abby!" Lexa called as she tried to get the woman's attention before she walked too far away.

Abby turned around immediately and locked her gaze on Lexa walking towards her, and she slowed to a stop to let the younger girl catch up to her.

"Hi, Lexa," she greeted with a polite smile. "What's up?"

"So this may be a little far-fetched, but I wanted to ask if you had collected anything from Clarke on the night of the attack," Lexa struggled to say, "in regards to evidence... left behind."

"Well," Abby started slowly as she turned herself towards Lexa, "since the crime was violent in nature, I did order a sexual assault examination to be done..."

Lexa's breath caught in her throat as she was not even thinking about the possibility that Clarke had been taken advantage of in that way during or after the attack, and she suddenly found herself holding her breath desperately as she waited for Abby to finish.

"... which tested negative," she told Lexa, who instantly released the breath she was holding deep in her chest. "It's also standard practice to collect nail scrapings when such an examination is done."

Lexa's eyes lit up as if that was exactly what she was hoping to hear.

"And do those get sent to the police department, or are they send directly to a lab for testing?" Lexa asked eagerly.

"I believe that type of evidence is sent to the police department who then turns it over to their crime lab for testing," Abby said.

"Perfect," Lexa replied as she exhaled, "okay."

"Is there even a point for me to ask why this has you so excited?" Abby asked as she narrowed her eyes at the brunette.

"It's a long story," Lexa sighed, "but I'm just trying everything I can do to find out who did this to Clarke."

"Alright," Abby replied as she nodded her head. "Just be smart about it."

Lexa assured her she would be and quickly excused herself to go find Clarke. As she stepped up to her hospital room door, she knocked quietly before pushing herself in. She was somewhat relieved to find Clarke sleeping, knowing that she needed all the rest she could get, but was also somewhat disappointed that she wasn't awake for her to hear her voice and see her blue eyes. With a deep inhalation of breath, Lexa moved towards the empty chair beside Clarke's bed and sat down to make herself comfortable.

It was much later in the day than she had hoped to be back at the hospital, but Lexa had managed to get everything done that she wanted to before tomorrow when Clarke would be getting discharged. She was about three emails deep on her phone when Lexa heard a soft knock on Clarke's door, and she turned her head to watch as a young man with a familiar face stepped into the room with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Lexa rose to her feet and walked over to him, wanting to make sure he knew Clarke was asleep and not to wake her.

"Hi," Lexa whispered. "Wells, right?"

"Yes," he replied in a hushed voice.

"Lexa," she reminded him as she extended her hand towards him.

"Of course," Wells said as an expression of recognition finally passed over his face and shook her hand.

"It's nice to see you again," Lexa offered as she referenced the last time they had seen each other at The Ark a couple of months ago, before she and Clarke were even dating.

"You too," he replied sincerely before he turned his attention back to Clarke. "How is she?"

"She's doing well," Lexa told him. "She's getting another scan tomorrow morning, and if it's clear she will be discharged."

Wells nodded as he kept eye contact with the sleeping blonde.

"I was expecting her at a party last night," Wells explained. "I couldn't believe it when I finally heard the news..."

"Yeah, she was pretty excited about that party," Lexa reassured him, having remembered Clarke telling her about it on the phone earlier that week. "I'm sure she's pretty bummed that she missed it."

"Yeah," Wells agreed. "Any excuse she has to get herself to a party is good enough."

They shared a silent smile before Wells continued.

"Although word around the hospital is that she has been partying much less since you two became a thing," he told her. "I guess there was someone out there who could finally tame Clarke 'party girl' Griffin."

"What can I say?" Lexa asked before following up. "My boring life seems to be rubbing off on hers."

Wells chuckled at this and then moved his gaze back over to his sleeping friend.

"I'm leaving tomorrow for my new job in Washington DC," Wells informed Lexa. "Do you know what time she'll be leaving the hospital? I'd like to come back when she's awake to say goodbye."

"I wouldn't assume it would be before noon," Lexa told him, knowing that the process of discharging someone from the hospital who had sustained serious injuries could take some time.

"Alright," Wells replied. "Do you think she would mind if I left these here for her?"

"Not at all," Lexa answered as she looked down at the flowers he was referring to.

She watched as he walked over towards the bed and set the flowers down quietly, careful not to let the glass vase bump loudly on the surface of the bedside table. He turned them so that she could easily see the small card stuck between the flowers and walked back towards Lexa. He looked over at Clarke once again before speaking.

"Thanks for taking care of her," Wells said softly.

"Of course," Lexa whispered.

A few seconds of silence passed between them as they both looked over at Clarke, who was still sleeping soundly.

"I love her, you know."

Lexa quickly glanced over at Wells to see him match her gaze before speaking again.

"Not like... that... but–"

"I know," Lexa interrupted.

"So, just..." Wells stuttered, "thanks for taking care of her."

Lexa nodded, knowing that he meant it as both a thank you and a request for her to take care of his friend, who meant so much to him, after he was gone. They bid each other farewell, and Lexa followed him out of the hospital room to make her way down to the nurse's station. When she saw Harper standing nearby, Lexa smiled and closed the distance between them.

"Could I bribe you to hook me up with another cup of coffee?" Lexa asked shyly. "I forgot to grab one on my way back today, and I could really use it."

"Of course," Harper replied with a smile. "No bribe necessary."

"Thank you," Lexa replied and found her way back into Clarke's room.

She sat back down on the chair she had just been in and watched Clarke breathing for a few moments before turning her attention back down to going through her emails on her phone. She made a mental note to bring her briefcase over to Clarke's apartment the following day so that she could properly work without the hassle of using her phone to do it. When Harper delivered a steaming cup of coffee to her, Lexa mouthed a very grateful 'thank you' and made another mental note to bring her a small token of appreciation the next time she saw her.

Clarke woke up about ten minutes later, but she had remained completely still for a couple of minutes as she listened to the subtle movements of the person she just knew was Lexa sitting beside her. Soft tapping of short fingernails against a cell phone screen filled the room for a while before she heard the sound of a gulp and a paper cup being placed back down on a hard surface. A pleasant smell of flowers filled her nose as she breathed, and Clarke wondered who it was that brought her flowers. Probably Lexa. A few moments later there was a small sigh that sounded laden with stress and worry, and Clarke knew then without a doubt that it was her best friend sitting next to her. The sound of a phone vibrating cut through the silence of the room, and Clarke heard as Lexa quickly stood and hurried out of the room to answer it. She finally opened her eyes and blinked a few times as a beautiful bouquet of flowers came into focus, and she read the simple message on the card nestled among the buds.

 _Love, Wells_

She swallowed involuntarily as her throat burned for moisture before she turned her head to the left and looked over at where Lexa had been sitting. Her purse was next to her chair, and there was a book and paper cup of coffee on the bedside table. She imagined the brunette had probably been there for some time but honestly had no idea how long. Clarke lost herself in her thoughts for a few minutes while Lexa was... somewhere... taking her call. It was probably something business-related, and Clarke mentally chastised herself for thinking for a split second that it may have been Eva Porter on the other line. She rolled her eyes at herself just before hearing Lexa step back into her room. They held each other's gaze while Lexa walked towards Clarke and sat down in the chair she had just vacated.

"Hi," Lexa finally said in a voice no higher than a whisper.

"Hi," Clarke replied before licking her lips.

"Can I get you anything?" Lexa asked as she pushed herself to the edge of her chair.

"Some water," Clarke answered simply.

Lexa nodded and reached for the pitcher by her bed and filled a fresh cup and handed it over to Clarke, who accepted it and quickly raised it to her lips to down a few long sips. After she had emptied the cup, she handed it back to Lexa as she licked the excess water droplets from her lips.

"How are you feeling?" Lexa asked quietly.

"Shitty," Clarke answered honestly to which Lexa simply nodded.

"Wells stopped by earlier," Lexa informed her and nodded her head towards the flowers. "He brought you those."

"I saw," Clarke responded.

Clarke's heart weighed heavily in her chest and fell into a comfortable silence, grateful that Lexa didn't make any efforts to try and get her to talk. Instead they each turned to their own devices to pass the time in silence as Clarke turned on the TV and Lexa read from her book, and the hours ticked away with only a few interruptions from nurses who came in to check on Clarke and administer medication. She woke herself at around midnight again, and again she looked down to see Lexa huddled uncomfortably in the small chair by the foot of her bed exactly as she'd been the night before.


	20. Chapter 20

****11/24/16 EDIT: The way some readers disliked my take on Clarke's jealousy in this story has moved me to make a few changes here and there simply to bring down the intensity of her reactions slightly. None of the actual storyline has not been changed, just a bit of dialogue.****

* * *

As most of their time spent together over the past several days had been, the journey from the hospital to Clarke's apartment was done in silence. They looked out separate windows from the back of the cab, with Lexa stealing a few glances over to Clarke just to make sure she wasn't experiencing any unnecessary pain during the drive. The results of her head scan had come back clear, and Abby had officially signed off on Clarke's release. To say she was still hesitant for her daughter to be heading home so soon after having sustained such serious injuries would have been an understatement, but she took comfort in knowing that Lexa had requested some personal time away from work so that she could stay with Clarke and care for her as she recovered. She knew how much Lexa loved her daughter, even if she'd never heard the girl come out and say it, and it provided Abby with enough peace of mind to allow her to not worry constantly about Clarke.

Wells had stopped by the hospital just as Lexa had begun to pack up her things. She had secretly been stalling for a while to make sure that Clarke would be able to see her close friend when he stopped by the hospital before leaving for his new job in Washington DC, and they shared a few tender moments together before he said goodbye for good. Octavia had promised that she and Lincoln would visit Clarke as soon as she got back home and was settled for the day. Lexa had suggested that they all have dinner together, if Clarke was up for it. When the cab pulled up to park in front of Clarke's apartment building, Lexa quickly exited the backseat to unpack the wheelchair she had been given by the hospital to use during Clarke's recovery.

Clarke had huffed and grunted from both the pain of her injuries and also from annoyance at the fact that she had to be pushed around in a wheelchair, but Lexa paid little attention to the small sounds of displeasure since she knew there was no way around a little discomfort in order to get her up and into her apartment. Clarke was the one, after all, who had wanted to come back home before her mother and several of the other doctors at the hospital thought she should. She let out a sigh after she'd settled into the wheelchair and was made to wait as Lexa pulled her purse and a small bag around each one of her shoulders. Clarke assumed that the bag was packed with a few days' worth of Lexa's clothes and various toiletries to use during her stay at the apartment with her, but of course she didn't know for sure because they still weren't actually talking other than when it was absolutely necessary.

The smell that greeted her when Lexa opened the front door of her apartment and pushed her inside was so enveloping that Clarke felt like she was literally standing in the middle of a field of flowers. It was well balanced throughout the room, and not once did Clarke feel that the aroma was too overbearing. It was perfect. Her eyes carefully scanned across her kitchen, dining area, and living room, and it was all too obvious that Lexa had already been there to tidy up. Her floors were immaculate, leading Clarke to believe that Lexa had actually mopped or even scrubbed them with how shiny they were, and there wasn't a single item of hers that was out of place around the apartment. She noticed a large purple candle in the middle of her dining room table that she knew wasn't hers, and just the simple fact that it was were pulled at her heart. Lexa had already done so much for her before she'd even stepped foot back into her apartment, and it was proving impossible to not appreciate it.

"Do you want me to bring you to your bedroom," Lexa broke the silence, "or would you rather stay out in the living room?"

"The bedroom is fine," Clarke answered before she swallowed and took another remorseful look around her apartment.

She almost had to stop herself from gasping when they reached the end of the hallway and slipped past the doorway into her bedroom. The bed had been made, the sheets peeking out from under her duvet looked crisp like they'd just been washed, and every surface of the room seemed to have been cleaned just like the rest of the apartment. There were a few new items carefully organized on her bedside table including a fresh box of tissues, several bottles of her pain medication and antibiotic prescriptions already filled, and small vase of yellow tulips that Abby had sent over earlier that morning. As they came up alongside her bed, Clarke noticed her television remote was resting just beside the flowers and her dresser which was usually cluttered with random pieces clothing and cosmetics had been completely cleared off, giving her an unobstructed view of her television.

"Are you ready?" Lexa asked as she held out her hands for Clarke to grab onto.

She simply placed her hands in Lexa's before they were gently tugging her up from the wheelchair and over toward the bed. It took a bit of work to get Clarke situated but when she was, Lexa stepped back and looked down to Clarke's legs. Clarke had no idea why Lexa looked so nervous, and she watched as Lexa shifted from one foot to the other before finally speaking what was on her mind.

"Did you want to be under the covers?" She asked as she motioned to the bed. "I didn't think to ask before."

"No, it's okay," Clarke answered lightly to which Lexa simply nodded.

Clarke watched as the brunette quickly walked around to her desk and retrieved a folded blanket that was lying on top of it, and her heart flip-flopped in her chest as Lexa carefully placed it onto the bed within easy reaching distance. She studied the facial expressions as they flashed across Lexa's face, but they remained in silence for another few seconds.

"Would you like me to make you something for lunch?" Lexa asked as she made eye contact with Clarke. It was past lunchtime after all, and Lexa's own stomach was beginning to churn with hunger.

"I'm not really that hungry," Clarke heard herself reply.

"Okay," Lexa replied and Clarke looked away.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Lexa made her way back around to her left side and stepped in close towards the bed. She couldn't help but lift her eyes to look up at Lexa looking back down at her.

"I have some things I need to do for work," she told the blonde, "so I'll be in the living room. You can call me if you need anything."

Clarke nodded and held her breath as Lexa leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. A warm hand came up to cup her cheek, and Clarke closed her eyes as she tried not to let the tenderness of Lexa's touches make her break down into tears. She watched as Lexa tucked the wheelchair into the corner of the room before quietly disappearing and leaving Clarke in total silence. She looked around the room again, noticing for the first time that there was a small card propped up against the vase of flowers. She reached over and picked it up, tugging it quickly from the tiny purple envelope, and reading it.

 _Take care of yourself. And when you don't take care of yourself, let Lexa do it._

 _I love you,_  
 _Mom_

Clarke rolled her eyes at the note, knowing that her mother wasn't totally wrong in assuming she wouldn't take as good of care of herself as she probably should, and stuffed it back into the envelope before setting it back on the table. She reached for the TV remote and flipped it on, spending a few minutes searching for an interesting show to watch. When she finally settled on something, she let her gaze wander around the room again and noticed that her laptop was missing from its usually spot on top of her desk. She groaned quietly as she realized it had probably been stolen the night of the attack and made a mental note to ask Lexa about it later. She had just left the bedroom a few minutes ago, and Clarke didn't want to be calling her back in already.

 **Lexa: Are you and Lincoln still coming over tonight?**

 **Octavia: We were planning on it.**

 **Lexa: Would you mind staying with Clarke for a few hours? I have something for work that I need to take care of, and I don't want to leave her alone.**

 **Octavia: Sure... but a work thing? On a Sunday? Sounds suspect...**

 **Lexa: Not suspect. Work thing.**

 **Octavia: I'm just giving you shit. We should be over around 5pm.**

 **Lexa: Perfect. See you then.**

Lexa turned her attention away from her phone and found herself walking into the kitchen to make herself something for lunch. Clarke had been quick to refuse any food, and Lexa wasn't going to fight her on it. She would probably eat whatever Octavia and Lincoln were bringing for dinner when they came over later that evening, and Lexa wasn't going to waste her energy on trying to convince Clarke to eat before then. She'd seen that Clarke had eaten breakfast that morning, so it wasn't a complete stretch that she just wasn't hungry like she said. A simple sandwich was enough to curb Lexa's hunger, and she brought it over with her to the dining room table where she'd set her briefcase. She figured it was the best space in the apartment to set up her laptop and lay out her files when she needed to work on following up with the Porter case she'd involved herself with since just a couple of days ago.

The hours flew by as Lexa buried herself under research about Porter Holdings Group, Owner and CEO Edward Porter, Eva Porter, and all things Porter. Her eyes felt gritty after focusing so intensely for so long on reading article after article online, and she suddenly had the overwhelming desire to just rip out her contacts and wear her glasses for the rest of the night. She ultimately decided against it since she was going to be meeting up with Gustus's police friend who had agreed to meet with her about her case. Before she could get too wrapped up in any more of her research, Lexa heard a knock at the door. She quickly stood up to answer it, and found a smiling Octavia with a large pizza box propped on top of her shoulder as Lincoln held up a pack of beer behind her.

"Pizza and beer suppliers are here," Lincoln said with a smile as big as the one that was on his fiancée's face.

"Come on in," Lexa said as she stepped aside to let her friends pass.

"Where's Clarke?" Lincoln asked as he looked around the apartment.

"She's in her bedroom," Lexa said and suddenly realized that Clarke hadn't called her once in the time since they arrived at the apartment. "She's probably sleeping."

"Ah," Octavia answered. "Well, I'm cracking open this pizza whether she's joining us or not because I'm fucking starving."

Lexa rolled her eyes as she walked back to the dining room table to close down her laptop and pack up her things. She needed to head out within the next few minutes if she wanted to get to the police station on time.

"I'll let Clarke know you're here," Lexa said before motioning to the refrigerator, "help yourself to whatever."

Lexa walked quickly down the hallway and stepped through Clarke's bedroom doorway to see her sleeping just as she'd suspected. She stepped up to the bed and put her hand on Clarke's shoulder, shaking it gently. When that didn't seem to bring the blonde from her slumber, Lexa leaned forward a little closer and spoke softly.

"Clarke?"

Nothing.

"Clarke?" She asked, as she shook her gently again.

This time Clarke awoke with a jolt, surprising even Lexa, and she immediately groaned in agony as a sharp pain ripped through her chest when the sudden movement had caused her fractured ribs to ache. She gritted her teeth and breathed shallowly as she rode out the pain and waited for her heartbeat to return to a normal pace.

"I'm so sorry," Lexa apologized profusely, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Clarke answered through clenched teeth. She was in pain, but she knew Lexa hadn't purposefully startled her.

"I just wanted to let you know that Octavia and Lincoln are here," Lexa started, "and I wanted to check to see if you needed anything before I head out for a little bit."

"You're not staying?" Clarke heard herself ask and immediately regretted it.

"I have to meet someone for a work thing," Lexa explained vaguely.

Clarke couldn't help that one of her eyebrows raised in question, immediately wondering why the brunette wasn't offering her a hard answer. She didn't allow herself to jump to conclusions this time because, honestly, she was just _too damn exhausted_ to get worked up about anything else at this point, so she let it go with a sigh and tried to push herself farther up the pillows she'd slowly collapsed on over the last few hours. She really needed to pee but figured that Octavia was just as capable of helping her into her bathroom as Lexa was, and she really would rather have Octavia help as long as she had the luxury to choose.

"Okay," Clarke finally replied and looked away from the brunette.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Lexa said.

Clarke simply nodded, and Lexa leaned forward to place a tender kiss at the corner of Clarke's jaw, careful not to touch anywhere near the large bruise on her cheek. Lexa pulled away just quick enough to see Clarke's eyes fluttered open, and her heart skipped a beat. She let a small smile curl one corner of her mouth upwards until Clarke quickly looked away to refocus her attention on the TV screen, and her smile disappeared. Without any more hesitation, Lexa turned and walked out of the room to grab her things before heading out. She let Octavia know that Clarke was awake and quickly left the apartment before she was late.

"Octavia! I have to pee!"

The brunette's mouth, that was currently full of a rather large bite of pizza, fell open and she sighed dramatically before huffing her way into Clarke's bedroom to help her to the bathroom.

* * *

"Lexa Woods?"

"Yes," Lexa confirmed as she stood up from her seat in the waiting room of the police department and walked towards the large man who had said her name.

"I believe we have a common friend in a man named Gustus," he said with a smile as he extended his hand in greeting.

"Okay, were we supposed to have some kind of code phrase because that sounded like something straight out of a spy movie," Lexa teased as she shook the man's hand.

He chuckled and ushered her through the doorway towards the back of the police station where she figured his desk was. They sat down opposite from each other, and Lexa put her purse down on the floor beside her. She took a moment to study the man in front of her. He was large, like Gustus, and it wasn't too difficult for her to imagine him as having once been a soldier. His police badge was clipped onto his belt, and he wore slacks and a dress shirt instead of a uniform which suggested that he most likely held a higher rank than patrol officer. His full dark beard, that was nicely kept, matched his dark brown eyes but the kindness in his face shone though. It wasn't until that moment that Lexa realized she didn't even know this man's name due to the fact that Gustus had arranged the meeting himself and only relayed the details of the time and place for the meeting. She searched his desk for a sign or plaque that might give her the information she was seeking, but she couldn't find anything.

"I'm sorry," Lexa started, "but I just realized that I don't even know your name."

"You can just call me Ryder," the man said with a smile before reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a small card, "but here's all my info with my badge number so that you can scope me out, since I know you lawyer types have a tendency to be thorough."

"You've met a few in your day then, I see," Lexa replied with her own smile as she took the card and slipped it into her purse. There wasn't anything wrong with doing a little due diligence by looking up his professional records, and it was her job as a lawyer to do just that.

"So," Ryder said as he took a deep breath and leaned back into his chair, "Gustus tells me that you have a case that needs some special attention."

"Yes," Lexa confirmed.

"First off, let me just tell you that Gustus doesn't call in many favors," Ryder explained as his eyes narrowed. "Actually he's usually the one who gets called for favors, so when he asked me about this case... I knew it was something pretty important to him."

Lexa simply nodded in agreement but said nothing in response.

"So why don't you fill me in on the details," Ryder said as he flipped his file folder open and clicked the end of his pen.

Lexa spent the next ten minutes or so telling to him how this entire situation had come about, from gaining Eva Porter as a new client, to explaining how her family's company was corrupt and engaging in illicit activities, to how her assistant had tried to gain the upper hand by getting a hold of some damning evidence but ended up obtaining it illegally, to describing in detail the recent break-ins and Clarke's assault, and finally to how Lexa was hoping to connect Eva to all of this for once and for all.

"Alright," Ryder said as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "so knowing that you're a lawyer, I would have to assume that you have some kind of plan cooking in that head of yours."

"Actually, I do," Lexa stated as she sat up a little straighter in her chair. "If you'll notice on the missing property report I filled out that the last item listed was a bottle of beer."

Ryder flipped a few pages into his file and scanned the list until his eyes landed on the description of that very item. He nodded in agreement and waited for her to continue.

"I think that whoever broke into my apartment took that beer out of my fridge and drank it," Lexa said.

"And I suppose you want us to find that bottle," Ryder half-commented, half-questioned.

"That was part of the plan, yes," Lexa confirmed.

"So if we find the bottle, which could be in the middle of pretty much any landfill from here to the state line," Ryder started as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, "and if when we find it there's DNA evidence still present after being tossed into a dumpster and transported who knows how many miles, and if we can get a hit on that DNA in the system..."

"I know there's a lot of if's, but for all we know the bottle is still in a dumpster outside my apartment building," Lexa cut in.

"Mmm-hmmm," Ryder acknowledged as he nodded, "that's possible. But how do you think that will help you connect the break-in at your apartment to the break-in at your girlfriend's apartment?"

"Fingernail scrapings," Lexa answered confidently. "It's hospital protocol to collect biological trace evidence from anyone who is admitted to emergency room for an assault."

"Hmmm," Ryder responded while bobbing his head up and down.

"Now, there's another long-shot that falls within the equation," Lexa said hesitantly, "which is that Clarke thinks she heard two men in her apartment that night."

"So even if we are able to get DNA evidence from the beer bottle and DNA evidence from the fingernail scrapings, it might not be from the same perpetrator?" Ryder asked for confirmation.

"Right," Lexa said as her voice fell to a little louder than a whisper.

Ryder sighed loudly and laced his fingers together on top of his head and thought in silence for a few moments before looking back to Lexa and speaking.

"Normally I wouldn't devote any of my free time to a case with such high odds of panning out," he said as he watched Lexa's face fall. "But... this request is coming from Gustus... so I'll take a chance."

"Thank you," Lexa breathed out in a sigh of relief. "Honestly, thank you so much. I will help out however I can, just say the word."

"It sounds like you have a girlfriend to take care of," Ryder replied with a smirk, "so why you don't worry about her, and let us worry about dumpster diving."

Lexa chuckled and nodded her head in agreement.

"That didn't take as long as I thought it would, so do have a little more time for me?" Ryder asked.

"Of course," Lexa agreed immediately.

"As weird as it sounds," Ryder started, "I'd like to take down some information about the beer. That way we can later cross-check the details of the store it was sold in, the time and date and location of manufacturing against any information about the perpetrator if we're ever lead to arrest someone."

"Wow, okay," Lexa said in surprise at the impact a few numbers printed into cardboard could have in an investigation, "we can head over to my apartment right away."

Ryder nodded in agreement and stood from his chair before shrugging into his suit coat and following Lexa out of the police station. She sat in the front seat of his official police vehicle, and the ride to her apartment went by in the blink of an eye as they distracted themselves with more chatter about the case and the Porter company in general. When they got up to Lexa's apartment, it only took a few minutes for Ryder to write down all of the information he needed before snapping a few pictures of the six pack (minus one) on his cell phone for later reference if necessary. He offered Lexa a ride to Clarke's apartment, after she told him she was heading back there, and she graciously accepted knowing that she probably would have called a cab as it was getting late and she was getting tired.

"Thank you so much again for agreeing to take on this case," Lexa said as she opened the door after they had arrived at her destination. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Woods," Ryder said with a kind smile.

"If I'm calling you Ryder, then you can most certainly call me Lexa," she told him.

"Fair enough," he replied with a chuckle. "I'll keep in touch."

Lexa nodded before she hopped out of the car and headed into Clarke's apartment building. She suddenly had the overwhelming desire to crawl into bed and fall asleep in her girlfriend's arms, and she heard herself sigh with the realization that until Clarke was ready to talk things out with her that she wouldn't be falling asleep anywhere near her. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the front door before pushing it open to see Octavia, Lincoln and Clarke all sitting in the living room watching a movie.

"Hey, you're back," Octavia stated the obvious as she threw Lexa a lazy smile.

"Yeah," Lexa offered weakly as she waited to see if Clarke would turn her head to look at her. She probably wouldn't.

"She's out cold," Octavia said as if she could tell exactly what the brunette was hoping for just a moment before. "She took a pain pill after she ate a piece of pizza and then she crashed."

Lexa nodded as she deposited her purse on the kitchen counter top and headed over to the small bag she had brought with her from her own apartment. She dug through it until she found her sleep clothes, her glasses, and her contacts case.

"I'm just going to change really quick, but you guys are free to leave whenever you want," Lexa said as she walked towards the bathroom.

"The movie is almost over, so we'll leave after," Octavia answered quietly before turning her attention back to the screen.

The movie wrapped up about fifteen minutes after Lexa had reemerged from the bathroom, and Octavia offered to help Lexa get Clarke back into her bedroom. And by offering to help, Octavia actually meant that she would make her fiancé carry Clarke back into her bedroom, which he did with only a few sleepy protests from Clarke and a few words of caution from Lexa as she hovered behind him to make sure he didn't jostle her too much in his arms. Lexa thanked her friends for bringing dinner and for sitting with Clarke, and they assured her it was not a problem and that it was what friends were for.

They all hugged one other goodnight, and Lexa found herself back in Clarke's bedroom. She unfolded the blanket that she'd placed on the bed earlier and draped it carefully over Clarke's body, making sure it covered her feet and tucked snugly under her chin. She made a quick trip back out to the kitchen to fill a glass with water and set it on the bedside table before she sat down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes wandered over Clarke's face, a peaceful expression resting on it as she slept soundly. Lexa lifted her hand and carefully brushed a few clumps of hair away from Clarke's face before letting her fingertips dance along the smooth skin of her jaw and over her lips. She leaned down and placed a feather light kiss on Clarke's unbruised cheek before she heard herself whispering into the silence of the night.

"I love you."

She was sure Clarke didn't hear it, but she was even more sure she didn't care if she did.

* * *

Clarke woke with a rough groan that felt like it was ripping her throat apart as it filled the silence around her. She parted her lips with her tongue, greedily swiping it against her delicate skin in a fruitless effort to moisten her mouth. With a quick look to her side, she nearly shouted for joy when she saw a tall glass of water waiting there for her. She moved carefully but quickly and downed half of it before she realized she could barely breathe. After panting a few times and letting the oxygen fill her lungs once again, Clarke hastily drained the rest of the water from the glass and placed it back down onto the table with a small thud. She closed her eyes, knowing sleep had left her for the time being but relaxed into her bed as she slowly regained the strength of all her senses.

"Morning," Lexa said hesitantly from the doorway of Clarke's bedroom, and Clarke just rubbed her eyes. "Are you hungry?"

Clarke had contemplated saying 'no' but realized if she never said 'yes' that she would probably end up starving to death since Lexa was going to be the one feeding her for at least the next week, possibly two. Her stomach also felt the need to respond contrary to her wishes and grumbled loudly into the morning calm. Clarke said nothing as she eyed Lexa, silently offering her agreement without actually saying anything. Lexa nodded and smirked the tiniest smirk before she turned and disappeared from where she'd been standing in the doorway. Clarke rolled her eyes and sighed, slightly wincing as her ribs ached in pain from the generous breath she'd just taken into her lungs.

It was about fifteen minutes later that Lexa returned to Clarke's bedroom, carrying a plate of food and a tall glass of milk. The TV was on, and Clarke was only barely paying attention to the show currently playing while she subtly eyed the food being brought up to her. It was one of the most perfect looking omelets Clarke had ever seen in her life, folded expertly in half with a picture-worthy ooze of cheese sprinkled with tiny cubes of ham spilling out from the open side. There were a few pieces of fresh cut fruit and a lightly buttered piece of bread toasted to golden perfection on the plate as well. Clarke sighed in defeat as she was slowly but surely coming to the realization that everything about Lexa, even her stupid delicious looking omelets, were perfect. They were just fucking perfect.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, disregarding how the pain from her ribs shot through her chest as she did so, and accepted the plate into her lap. Lexa set Clarke's milk down and scooped up the empty water glass before extending a fork and napkin in front of her body. Clarke took them both sheepishly and set the napkin beside her, as she lightly gripped the fork in her left hand.

"Thanks."

It was barely a whisper, but it was enough. Lexa smiled and nodded and told Clarke to call her if she needed anything else. The moment Lexa disappeared from her bedroom again was the moment Clarke dug into her food. She'd fallen asleep after only one slice of pizza the night before, and she could barely contain her hunger pains as they made her stomach feel awful things. The fluffy eggs, melty cheese, and salty ham were like heaven in her mouth, and she followed bites with more bites until the omelet was gone, not that it stopped her from picking at the spilled cheese on her plate with her fork and greedily sucking each prong clean. She buzzed through the piece of toast and even ate the fruit, enjoying the crisp sweetness against the inside of her scorching mouth. The cold milk washed everything down quite adequately, but she managed to remember to save about half the glass for her pills. She had a few different ones to take, but it wasn't long before she had gathered them all in the palm of her hand and tossed them into her mouth. She set down her now empty glass and scooted herself back down into a more reclined position and not before long, she was slipping back off to sleep as the TV hummed quietly in the background.

When she finally woke again, she noticed her breakfast dishes were gone, and a new glass of water had been placed on her bedside table. She maybe would have possibly let herself appreciate Lexa's kind gestures if the sight of the water hadn't made her bladder literally (okay figuratively) jump so that all she could think about was making a mad dash to the bathroom. She reached for her phone to text Lexa for help, but didn't even get the screen unlocked before Lexa was standing in the doorway. She remained there until Clarke whipped the blanket off of her legs and muttered desperately.

"Need to pee."

Lexa propelled herself into the room, bringing the wheelchair up to the bed and helping Clarke get into it. If it wasn't for her fractured ribs, Clarke thought she would be able to hop her way the short distance to her bathroom, but sadly that was not the case. She barely made it to the toilet on time, struggling by herself as she refused to let Lexa help her go to the bathroom, but felt exponentially better as soon as she was finished. She took her own initiative to start the water in the tub and undress herself, not having mentioned to Lexa that she was desperate to take a bath, and she wasn't surprised in the least when she heard a quiet knock on the door a few seconds later.

"Can I help you get into the tub?" Lexa asked after she nudged the door open just wide enough to let her voice carry through the crack.

Clarke wanted to say no, she wanted to, but the reality that she would be able to lower herself into the bathtub with a broken ankle and two cracked ribs was practically laughable. Before she could even register the sound coming from her mouth, she had agreed.

"Sure."

Lexa walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She looked Clarke directly in the eyes, despite the fact that Clarke was completely naked in front of her, and stepped up to her. The sincerity and steadfastness of her gaze left Clarke a little weak in the knees, and she silently wondered how someone could be _so damn respectful_ all the time. Clarke bit back a shudder when she felt Lexa's cool hand land on her waist as another gripped her hand, and she let herself be slowly and gently lead to step up over the side of the bathtub. She purposefully kept her right foot on the rug outside the tub, knowing that she couldn't submerge it into the water. Lexa's grip around her waist tightened ever-so-slightly as Clarke began to lower herself down into the rising water.

When her backside finally connected with the smooth bottom of the bathtub, Clarke let out a sigh and leaned back to recline fully. Lexa quickly adjusted the temperature, testing it with her own fingers as it gushed from the faucet before standing up to pull body wash and shampoo down from the white wire shelves hanging from the shower head above. She placed them on the edge of the tub and retrieved a fresh towel from the cabinet, lying it on the counter top of the bathroom vanity. She continuously checked the temperature of the water as it filled the tub, busying herself with anything that would keep her eyes away from shamefully drinking in Clarke's nakedness. When the water had reached its limit, Lexa shut it off and stood with her back towards Clarke.

"Just call me if you need anything," she said over her shoulder and dismissed herself from the bathroom.

Clarke immediately reached for the bottle of body wash, and her eyes snapped up to her loofah still hanging from the wire shelving above. Before she could even let out a sigh of discontent, Lexa was pushing the bathroom door back open and reaching for it like she had been reading her thoughts. Clarke's eyes widened just slightly as Lexa sheepishly lowered it towards Clarke, keeping her green eyes steadily trained on the puffy mesh object.

"Sorry, I... forgot about this," she said in something just louder than a whisper and snapped her eyes to Clarke's before it was gently being taken from her hand, and she turned to leave the bathroom once again.

After hearing the door click shut, Clarke let her arm drop back under the water as she pulled the loofah with it and reached for the bottle of body wash once again. She worked up a more than generous amount of suds and started to work the soap into her skin, silently reveling in the feeling of washing away several days' worth of grime. She finished her work with the loofah and rinsed it out before lying back for a moment to rest. She cracked her eye open and turned her head to the side as she noticed her razor sitting in the corner edge of the tub. She reached for it and swiped it under her arms a few times before popping the cover back on and setting it back in its place.

After a short pause, Clarke looked over to her shampoo and frowned. She wanted to wash her hair more than anything else, but _wanting_ to and actually being _able_ to were two entirely different things. She knew it would be hard enough to raise her hands above her head to lather her hair with shampoo, considering her injured ribs, let alone being able to get her hair wet and rinse it out. She contemplated for a few more seconds about how much she actually wanted to wash her hair and finally decided to concede for the first time and ask Lexa for her help.

"Lexa?"

"Yes?"

Clarke stitched her eyebrows together and looked over at the door. The sheer speed of Lexa's response was enough to make Clarke wonder if she had just been camped outside the bathroom door this entire time, but it was also the height at which her voice sounded on the other side of the door that make Clarke wonder even more. She pictured Lexa sitting on the floor, resting her back against the wall, just waiting and listening for any indication that she needed help. For the second time in the last two days, she felt her heart being pulled at.

"Can you help me with my hair?"

Lexa didn't answer other than opening the door and walking around it quickly. She pushed it closed with a click and let her eyes find Clarke's. The logistics of the task at hand made Lexa pause as she realized that she probably needed something to scoop water into so that she could properly soak and rinse her girlfriend's hair without having to have her lean forward or backwards in the tub.

"I should go get a cup or something," Lexa finally blurted out.

Clarke nodded in agreement, and Lexa was out of the bathroom like a flash of lightening. It was only a few moments later that she reemerged with a large plastic cup in her hand, and she made sure to close the door behind her before stepping up to the tub and kneeling onto the soft rug covering the hard tile floor. She looked at Clarke hesitantly before she made a single move, and she watched as Clarke swallowed before she sat up and shimmied herself towards the middle of the tub so that Lexa could easily get to her hair without having to worry about pouring water against the back edge of the bathtub.

Lexa finally moved to dip her hand and the cup below the water and bring it up to the back of Clarke's head. She used her free hand to gently lift and drop large sections of Clarke's hair so that the water could properly saturate it. As soon as the shade of blonde hair that Lexa had grown to love had darkened completely, Lexa reached over to the shampoo and squeezed a small amount into her hand. She spread it between her palms a few times, working it up into a thick later, and raised her hands to Clarke's hair. She massaged the shampoo gently until her entire head was coated with a layer of suds. She worked her fingers down the length of the sopping blonde tresses, being sure to wash every piece of hair on Clarke's head. When she was satisfied with her work, Lexa quickly dipped her hands under the water to rinse away the shampoo on them before grabbing the cup and beginning to fill it with water just to let it empty on Clarke's hair and down her back.

Lexa scolded herself as she realized her eyes had wandered across the curve of Clarke's side to the perfect swell of her backside, and she blinked a few times after snapping her eyes back up to focus on the bubbles that were slowly disappearing from blonde hair and being dragged down her body as each sheet of water cascaded down from the cup. Lexa swallowed thickly as images of bubbles sliding down altogether different parts of Clarke's body swirled in her mind, and she felt the heat of her blush as it rose up her cheeks. She hoped that Clarke wouldn't take this moment to look up at her, feeling mortified that she was physically reacting from helping to wash her injured girlfriend's hair in the bathtub. With a few violent blinks and a small shake of her head, Lexa managed to clear her thoughts and calm her flush as she finished rinsing Clarke's hair from all the remaining shampoo residue.

"Are you ready to get out?" Lexa asked after she had placed the cup back down onto the edge of the tub.

"Yeah," Clarke said softly, and her eyes fluttered shut as Lexa reached over to wring the excess water from her hair before standing up and reaching down for her hands.

Clarke tightly grasped Lexa's hands and pulled herself to her feet slowly as to not slosh the water in the tub too much. She swallowed as Lexa's hands released hers and watched as the brunette reached for the towel resting on the counter top. Lexa unfolded it quickly, letting it hang from her right hand as she slowly encircled Clarke with her arms and brought the towel around to the back of her body. She absentmindedly flicked her gaze down to Clarke's lips as she drew the edges of the towel together around Clarke's front. Her head was swimming as the scent of Clarke's shampoo filled her nose, and the feeling of Clarke's warm body and damp skin so close to her was making her pulse quicken with every second that passed.

She was snapped out of her gaze when she felt Clarke's hand come up to grasp the corners of the towel against her chest, and Lexa quickly moved herself to help Clarke climb out of the tub. As she stood on the rug, Clarke couldn't help but steal another glance up at Lexa who seemed to be having just as much trouble regulating her breathing as Clarke was at that moment. Their eyes met and then quickly darted away from each other, and it was only then that Lexa realized she was standing squarely in front of Clarke with her arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

"I, um..." Lexa stuttered as she made no attempt to move, "should I... do you need me to..."

"I can do it," Clarke whispered as she tried desperately not to let her eyes settle on Lexa's lips.

With a small nod of understanding, Lexa let her hands fall from Clarke and took a step back. She muttered something about going to get some clean clothes and disappeared from the bathroom. It took all of Clarke's strength to dry herself without aggravating her injuries too much, and she ached with pain by the time she was finally dry. She wrapped the towel back around her body before Lexa knocked on the door, and asked her as quickly as possible for help getting her clothes on.

Without a single word, Lexa took the fresh pair of underwear in her hands and stooped down to let Clarke lean her hands on top of her shoulders for support as she carefully threaded Clarke's legs into the soft fabric, quickly pulling the panties up into place underneath the towel still wrapped around Clarke's body. The same method was used for the thick pair of sweatpants Lexa had brought in, but Clarke dropped her towel when they got to the t-shirt. Lexa, being the ever-respectful gentlewoman she is, restricted her gaze from wandering over the perfect curves she was dying to ogle and paid all of her attention to getting Clarke fully covered up.

The short journey back to Clarke's bed went relatively smoothly, and it wasn't before long that Clarke was sinking down into her blankets and pillows once again. She popped a couple of pain pills and turned her attention back towards the TV, knowing that it wouldn't be long before she lost herself to sleep again. Lexa asked her if she needed anything else, to which Clarke replied no, and Lexa retreated into the dining room for the rest of the day and evening as she buried herself in more research on Eva Porter and the Porter Holdings Group case.

* * *

"I thought you were taking time _off_ of work," Abby said as she stood in the doorway of Clarke's apartment after Lexa had pulled the door open for her.

Lexa looked over her shoulder to follow Abby's gaze to where her laptop and file folders were spread across the entire surface of Clarke's dining room table. It wasn't technically work, since she had taken her personal time which her boss told her he had no problem with, but rather it was all of the research and notes she'd been taking about her own case. After Ryder had agreed to help her, Lexa began devoting all of her free time to gather as much information as she could that might help them catch a break in the case.

"I am," Lexa replied as she looked back towards Abby. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I am."

"Alright," Abby said wearily as she stepped into the apartment. "How is Clarke doing? I know when I ask her, she will probably just lie and say she is fine."

"She's... managing," Lexa settled on. "She hasn't been very talkative towards me the past few days, but I can tell she is still in pain."

"Well, good thing I brought her some more pain meds then," Abby said as she held up a small white paper bag in her hand.

"She should be awake still," Lexa said as she motioned towards the bedroom, and Abby simply nodded.

"And everything's going okay with you?" Abby asked as she put her hand on Lexa's forearm, noticing that the brunette looked quite fatigued.

"I'm keeping busy," Lexa replied as she nodded back towards her work in the dining room.

"Just don't work yourself too hard," Abby sincerely told her. "Doctors make the worst patients, so I'm sure your hands are already full."

Lexa smiled and let a barely audible chuckle fall from her lips in response.

"If you need any more help with her, just let me know," Abby said as she pulled her hand away after giving Lexa's arm a small squeeze.

"Thanks, Abby," Lexa replied.

They shared a small smile before Abby made her way towards Clarke's bedroom.

"Hey, sweetie," Abby said with a smile as she saw her daughter sitting up in her bed.

"Hey, Mom," Clarke softly responded as she moved to readjust her position just slightly.

"I was just giving Lexa the low-down on how doctors make lousy patients," Abby said as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Are you living up to that standard?"

"Probably," Clarke grumbled without hesitation.

"Go easy on her, Clarke," Abby said as she shook her head lightly. "She's just trying to take care of you."

"It's complicated, Mom," Clarke said with a sigh.

"What's complicated?" Abby asked.

"Nothing, I... just don't really want to get into it," Clarke said dismissively. "How are things going at the hospital?"

"It's been about two seconds from falling apart since you've been out," Abby half-teased and half-stated, "but we're managing."

Clarke offered a single nod, knowing that her mother was not only trying to make her feel better but also trying to convey just how important she was to the hospital. Even for her young age, Clarke was revered as one of the most talented surgeons at the hospital and they respected her as such. Abby made a move from the edge of the bed, and within a few seconds she was sitting against the headboard right beside Clarke.

"How is Marcus?"

Abby's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the question, thinking it would have been the last thing she would have expected Clarke to ask her about while she was there.

"He's good actually," Abby replied quickly before adding, "and thanks for that segue because there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Clarke turned her head towards her mother and lifted one of her eyebrows, remaining silent as she waited for her mother to continue.

"I was hoping you would be okay with me bringing Marcus to Lincoln and Octavia's wedding as my plus one," Abby said as she held eye contact with Clarke.

"He's your boyfriend, right?" Clarke asked. "I'd think that you would want to bring him no matter what I think..."

"No," Abby started slowly. "First of all, Marcus is not my boyfriend. And secondly, it _does_ matter what you think. That's why I asked you what you thought."

"Look, Mom," Clarke said, "if you're asking for my permission or something, then just take it. You can be with whoever you want now that Dad's gone."

Abby's expression fell as Clarke paused before speaking up again.

"Plus, Marcus is a great guy," Clarke finished.

"He is," Abby replied quietly.

"But... I don't know... " Clarke hesitated after a few seconds of silence. "Aren't you ever scared?"

"Scared?" Abby wondered out loud. "Scared of what?"

"That he might leave?" Clarke clarified as she caught her mother's concerned gaze. "Aren't you scared that... you'll invest so much of your time and give away your heart... only to have to try and pick up enough of the pieces to give it away to someone else later?"

"Clarke, you can't–" Abby cut herself off before rewording, " _we_ can't let what happened with your father decide the fate of the rest of our relationships," Abby said as she shook her head meaningfully.

"I don't think I'm as strong as you," Clarke replied softly as she reflected back on the last few weeks of her life. "I just can't–I just... it's just so risky."

"Yeah, it's risky," Abby agreed as she moved to set one of her hands gently on Clarke's knee. "But is it worth it?"

Clarke blinked a few times as she let the question roll around in her head. She felt her mother give her leg a small squeeze, and they sat in silence before turning their attention to the television.

Lexa had been giving Clarke and Abby their space and had remained in the dining room the entire time they were in the bedroom together. Lexa knew Clarke probably needed a bit of healthy conversation, and she was secretly hoping that Abby might pick up on whatever it was that was bothering Clarke and talk to her about it. She carelessly flicked through internet articles to keep her mind off of what the two women may or may not have been talking about until she was broken from her thoughts by the vibration of her cell phone. Lexa scrunched her eyebrows as she looked to see the screen on her phone show an unknown incoming call, but she quickly swiped her finger over the screen to accept it without further hesitation.

"Lexa Woods," she answered in her most professional voice.

 _"Lexa..."_

Fuck.

 _"... it's Eva."_

Fucking fuck.

Lexa jolted straight up in her seat when she heard the familiar voice carry over into her ear from the other line, and her heart began pumping wildly as her mind raced to figure out what in the hell she was going to say to Eva, the very reason (she was 99% sure) why Clarke was lying in her bedroom recovering from injuries and why Clarke's apartment and her own had been broken into recently. She swallowed a few times but wasn't able to formulate a response before Eva was speaking again.

 _"Lexa?"_

"Miss... Porter..." Lexa barely managed to get out.

 _"So I was contacted by your assistant last week who informed me that you flew home for a family emergency. And, well, while I'm sympathetic to whatever family situation you might have going on at the moment, I was quite surprised that you hadn't tried to get into contact with me personally."_

"Well," Lexa began as she tried to choose just the right words, "if you were sympathetic about my emergency, then you would have understood that I haven't had the time reach out to any of my clients for the last several days. Aden is more than capable of getting you into contact with another attorney at the firm to help you in whatever way you need."

Lexa hoped that she had come off as professional yet stern. She didn't want to, no, she couldn't afford to have Eva catch on to the fact that Lexa suspected her of being involved with the very family emergency she had to excuse herself from Washington DC for. Who knows what else this woman would be capable of if she knew too much?

 _"I understand that, Lexa, I do. But I thought our relationship was more than just a working one. Quite frankly I was surprised that you hadn't called me directly to let me know about your family emergency."_

Was she serious? Was she actually being serious? Lexa's mouth fell open as she took in her client's words for what they really implied. Either she was so dense to think that she and Lexa actually had something more than a business relationship with one another, or she was somehow trying to weasel information from Lexa about said emergency with playing off the disillusion that they were closer than Lexa had actually considered them to be. It wasn't until that very moment that Lexa really began to see just how dangerous and manipulative Eva Porter actually was.

Suddenly Lexa's blood was boiling beneath her skin, and her body began to tremble with an intensity she'd never felt before. She wanted to scream and yell and curse the woman on the phone for implying such a perverse idea of the nature of their relationship. She wanted to call her out for using such a low and dirty way of gleaning information from a person who was in such a delicate and vulnerable position being in the middle of dealing with a family crisis. She wanted to somehow reach her body through the phone just to land a bone-crushing punch to that perfectly polished face of hers, but even if she were able to all of those things and more it wouldn't drive the point across better than being able to deliver her a taste of her own medicine. If not now, in the future. So Lexa made herself take a deep breath and steady her trembling voice to reply.

"Miss Porter, I respect our working relationship," Lexa began, "and I've tried to make myself clear that all I desire from you is a working relationship. Nothing more. I appreciate your concern, but I would appreciate it even more if you would respect my time and my privacy away from my clients while I handle my family."

There was a poignant pause on the other end of the line, and Lexa waited silently with her eyes closed for a response.

 _"Family is important, Lexa... I was simply under the impression that I would be someone you could inform directly if had needed to fly home for a family responsibility."_

 _'Never once have I confided in her, so what the hell would make her think that I would confide in her now of all times?'_ Lexa thought after she had heard what the other woman had said to her.

"I didn't mean to mislead you," Lexa answered politely, as difficult as it was for her. "I do trust that you can find more than adequate assistance from another attorney at the firm for all your business needs until I return to work."

 _"Very well."_

"Take care, Miss Porter," Lexa said and heard the line disconnect. Lexa sighed and dropped her phone to the dining room table with a thud as she closed her eyes and tipped her head towards the ceiling.

"What's got you sighing at the ceiling?" Abby asked, snapping the brunette's eyes open and her attention away from her thoughts.

"Oh, I just... had to deal with a client... who didn't know I was taking personal time away from the office," Lexa finally managed to get out.

It was only a half-lie, right?

"Hmm," Abby hummed as she nodded shallowly, "You are one hell of a good lawyer if your clients can't function with you away from the office for a couple of days."

"Or they're just really persistent clients," Lexa replied in a mumble as she stood from her seat at the dining room table. Abby eyed her for a few seconds before speaking.

"I think it's the first one," she said with a small smile as she moved towards the door, and Lexa forced a smile of her own in return. "Anyways, I should get going."

"Thanks for stopping by," Lexa said honestly as she walked over towards the older woman. "I'm sure you were able to lift her spirits, even if she didn't tell you as much."

"I hope so," Abby replied, knowing that there was definitely something going on between Lexa and her daughter even though neither of them were saying it directly.

Lexa smiled weakly and waited as Abby turned the door handle to leave.

"Oh," Abby said as she stepped through the door and into the apartment hallway, "I helped her to the bathroom, so she should be good for a while."

"Thanks," Lexa replied with another small smile.

"Get some rest," Abby said finally as she started walking away, pointing her index finger at the brunette.

"I will," Lexa simply said as she watched Abby retreat for a moment before closing the door and returning to her laptop to continue her research.

* * *

 _Clarke was screaming as her body remained still, contradictory to the intense panic that she felt coursing through her veins. Her muscles pulsated under each of the points on her body that the man straddling her was touching. The skin on her face itched as thick red blood poured steadily from her nose, her mouth, her eyes, and her ears. She could hear her heartbeat pounding her eardrums in a rhythm she couldn't discern. It was contrary to every normal pulse she had ever listened to from the bell of a stethoscope, and her desperate need for it to even out was making it oscillate even more erratically._

 _As time around her slowed, she tried to peer into the eyes of her attacker only to be met with a mane of dark brunette hair wafting gently in front of her face. The stringy ends tickled her face and a few strands dipped into her blood, painting them red like an artist's brush as they worked on creating a masterpiece. Her eyes drifted to the left, and she watched as a hooded figure came into view. The field of her vision began to blur as splotches of red began to veil her view, finally filling everything so she was looking out into a sea of her own blood._

 _As the hooded figure drew closer, Clarke squinted her eyes in a desperate attempt to squeeze out the crimson so that she could focus on the figure that was now towering over her as the man still pinned her down. She gasped desperately for air, unable to let any of her breaths fill up her lungs, and as the hood fell from the face of the figure looming above Clarke suddenly was able to see in a shade other than red. Piercing back at her were eyes of green, situated perfectly on a face she knew. Soft brunette curls framed the strong jawline she had once caressed with her fingers and kissed with her lips, and before she could register the sound of laughter she watched in horror as the very jaw she had grown so familiar with cracked open with a devilish smile. She tried to cry out, to tell her to stop laughing, to lash out at her to make her stop, but nothing Clarke could tell her body to do was happening. Instead she felt the spirit of herself thrashing wildly inside of the prison of her own body, screaming, crying, calling out for help until..._

Clarke jolted awake and gasped in the biggest gulp of air her lungs had ever attempted to take. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she winced as the dull pain from her injured ribs pushed itself onto her senses with each ragged breath she drew in and pushed out. A nightmare. It had only been a nightmare. Clarke swallowed thickly and looked to her bedside table to see a tall glass of water waiting for her as one had all the previous mornings since she had been home. She took a few gulps and set it down gently before taking out her phone and checking the time. She almost choked on her shock when she saw it was after noon.

"Morning," Lexa softly said from the doorway of Clarke's bedroom.

"Afternoon," Clarke corrected as she set her phone back down beside her.

"I suppose it is," Lexa said with a small smirk before walking into the bedroom and sitting on the side of the bed. "Do you need to... should I help you to the bathroom?"

"Yeah," Clarke simply replied as she tossed the covers away from her body. Lexa made a move towards the wheelchair tucked into the corner of the bedroom, but Clarke stopped her. "I think I can walk."

"Are you sure?" Lexa asked unconvinced.

"Yeah," Clarke answered and pushed herself into a sitting position. "My ribs are feeling better each day."

Lexa said nothing in response, grabbing the pair of crutches that had been propped up against the wall for the last few days. She leaned them against the side of the bed before reaching down to pull Clarke up into a standing position. Clarke wobbled a bit at first, not wanting to put any weight on her broken ankle, but steadied herself against Lexa before reaching for the crutches. They limped along slowly until Clarke reached the bathroom door and looked back at Lexa.

"I'd like to take a bath," she said quietly.

"Okay," Lexa answered, "just let me know when you're ready."

Clarke nodded and disappeared behind the bathroom door. Lexa was called in about five minutes later, and they fell into the same routine they had made the first time Clarke had attempted a bath. Lexa was, in all outward appearances, a perfect gentlewoman and helped Clarke wash her hair, fetched her clean clothes, and helped redress her before following the blonde out of the bathroom and towards the living room where she had stated she'd like to spend the afternoon. Lexa was quick to agree to her request and stacked some extra pillows and a blanket on the couch next to Clarke. She situated herself into a seated position with her broken ankle propped up on the coffee table atop a bed pillow Lexa brought out from her bedroom.

Lexa had asked Clarke whether she was ready for lunch or not, and Clarke informed her (with no more than one word) that she was. Lexa decided to make her favorite homemade soup recipe and got to work on it immediately. The first thing she did was pull out pot large enough to hold all of the ingredients for the soup with some spare room to stir occasionally as it simmered. The brunette silently praised herself for having pre-cooked a few chicken breasts the previous day, knowing that she would need them for the soup eventually and wanting to be prepared to simply throw everything together without having to wait for the chicken to actually bake in the oven. She turned her attention to the fridge and pulled out a bag of fresh broccoli florets, a bundle of whole carrots, some fresh peas, a stalk of celery, and a small bundle of parsley. An onion and a few cloves of garlic from the produce bowl on Clarke's countertop joined the other vegetables near the cutting board.

After a few minutes, the chicken had been shredded and plopped into the pot along with broth and several other seasonings Lexa sprinkled in without so much as measuring them out since she had made this soup so many times before. Her knife went to work peeling, chopping, slicing, and dicing the vegetables until enough had been prepped to be added to the soup. After everything had been stirred together, Lexa went to work cleaning up the waste from the counter top and sponging down all of the surfaces that she had just dirtied. Lexa managed to busy herself in the kitchen while the soup simmered for the next twenty minutes, not sure if Clarke would have wanted her to sit down and join her in front of the television.

When the broccoli tenderness test had passed Lexa's scrutiny, she retrieved two bowls from the cabinets and filled each with a few healthy ladle-fuls of steaming soup. She delivered Clarke's bowl to her first, followed by a tall glass of milk that the blonde had requested that she set on the small table beside the couch. Lexa moved towards the dining room to eat her own bowl of soup there but was delighted when Clarke quietly said it would be fine for Lexa to sit on the couch if she wanted to. Lexa settled her legs underneath her and stole a glace over at Clarke as she watched the blonde blow over the first spoonful of her soup before slipping it past her lips. She couldn't help the smile that sprung to her face as she watched Clarke's eyelids flutter shut as she chewed, happy that her homemade meal was being appreciated albeit silently. They ate without speaking, and Lexa found herself still sitting on the couch a couple hours later as they continued to let their attention be captivated by the television. That was until Lexa's phone began to vibrate. She shot up from the couch and was able to answer the call within a matter of seconds.

"Hello?"

 _"Lexa, it's Ryder. Do you have a minute to talk?"_

"Of course," Lexa said as she moved towards the front door of the apartment and slipped out of earshot from Clarke.

Lexa still didn't want to burden Clarke with the information that her apartment had also been broken into, and Lexa certainly didn't want to stress her out telling her that she had involved herself in Clarke's assault case. She wasn't sure Clarke's frame of mind about the whole attack and didn't want to irritate any feelings of fear or make her remember the night if she didn't have to.

"Do you have an update?" Lexa asked when she got into the hallway, safely away from Clarke's earshot.

 _"Do I ever..."_

Lexa felt her insides jump with excitement and anticipation of whatever Ryder was about to tell her regarding their case.

 _"My guys just called to tell me that they found the beer bottle."_

"Are you serious?" Lexa heard herself ask. It had only been a few days since she'd met with him and he'd agreed to take a closer look into her case, so she was stunned that they had been able to make progress in such a short amount of time.

 _"Yeah, that was my reaction too. It's not very often that a search at a landfill turns up something this quickly."_

"How were–how did you even know where to look?" Lexa asked, genuinely curious.

 _"We were able to get your building's waste disposal schedule from the landlord and checked it against the landfill's location map of their dump sites. They showed us the specific square that was designated for dumping on that particular week for all trucks that picked up in the area your apartment building was included. So we ran a grid search of the dump site and found the bottle loose, not in a trash bag of any sort."_

"Okay," Lexa replied, not sure why that small fact was important.

 _"It's likely that the perpetrator finished drinking it on his way down from your apartment and either threw it down one of the trash chutes in the hallway or tossed it directly into one of the dumpsters at the back of the building where there just so happens to be a security camera that records in that direction twenty-four hours a day."_

Lexa's eyebrows raised, but she didn't say anything to interrupt.

 _"So we're combing through the footage now for any shots of the perpetrator or perpetrators so that we can hopefully get a physical description."_

"That's just... unbelievable," Lexa finally replied breathlessly. "I–I don't even... I'm just shocked..."

 _"You know, Lexa, if you ever want to get out of the law business you'd probably have a bright future as a detective."_

"I don't know about that," Lexa replied as she scoffed out a small laugh.

 _"Well, it's just something to think about."_

"So how long will it take to run a DNA test on the bottle?" Lexa asked.

 _"Assuming there's DNA still left on the bottle to_ _ **be**_ _tested, it could take anywhere between a few days and a few weeks."_

"Oh," Lexa replied as her heart dropped. "I see."

 _"But let's just say that I owe Gustus one too many, so I made sure to let everyone at the lab know that we need a rush on the results."_

"Well, I guess it pays to know drivers in the right places," Lexa offered in reference to Gustus.

Ryder chuckled on the other end of the line, and Lexa's heart immediately lightened. She was searching her mind for something more than a simple 'thank you' that could accurately express the level of gratitude she was feeling but couldn't manage to come up with anything better.

"Thank you," she said with a tone of sincerity. "I honestly can't tell you how much I appreciate your help."

 _"If there's anything I can do to bring a couple scumbags to justice, you bet your ass I'm going to do it."_

Lexa laughed lightly, and she heard the detective (which she had discovered was his rank through her due diligence research on him) chuckle in response.

 _"I should be getting back to work, but I just wanted to call and update you on what we have so far. I'll be sure to contact you once we have something to report on the results of the lab tests."_

"That sounds perfect," Lexa replied. "Thank you so much again."

They said they goodbyes, and Lexa ended the call with a happy sigh of relief. She pushed herself away from the wall she'd been resting her back against and made her way back over to Clarke's apartment door before quickly pushing it open and stepping inside. Clarke was still watching TV and didn't make any move to look up as Lexa walked into the living room. She bent over to scoop up their empty soup bowls from lunch hours earlier and brought them into the kitchen where she cleaned them out and placed them into the sink to dry.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked suddenly from where she was still standing in the kitchen.

Clarke said nothing but raised her eyes to look over at Lexa as if to let her know she was listening.

"Would you be alright if I left for about an hour?" Lexa asked carefully.

She wanted to meet with Bellamy to tell him about everything that was going on now that she had received an update from Ryder, and she knew it would be easier to meet with him in person rather than trying to tell him everything over the phone. There was a lot they had to go over since they hadn't talked about the case with one another yet. What she didn't know was that when she'd asked Clarke her question, Clarke's heart had dropped in her chest.

"Yeah," Clarke replied as calmly as possible. "I'll probably just take a nap."

Lexa nodded and reached over to grab her phone from the kitchen counter top and quickly type out a text message to Bellamy.

 **Lexa: Can we meet to discuss the case tonight?**

 **Bellamy: Absolutely. Name the time and the place.**

 **Lexa: Coffee shop on third in fifteen minutes.**

 **Bellamy: I'll be there.**

Lexa nodded her head once in approval as she read Bellamy's last text message and quickly walked over to the dining room table to gather all of her papers and files and notebooks to shove them into her briefcase before closing her laptop and moving back over to Clarke. She asked whether she needed help getting to the bathroom before she left, and Clarke declined the offer with another one of her regular one-word answers. She grabbed the rest of her things and headed out the door, leaving Clarke alone with her thoughts about where the brunette was going and who she was meeting when she got there.

* * *

"Hi," Bellamy said and straightened his back as he watched Lexa approach his table.

"Hey," Lexa offered before setting her briefcase down and taking a seat opposite him. They sat for a few moments in silence before Bellamy finally spoke up.

"So, Aden huh?" Bellamy asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, we had a little chat a few days ago," Lexa replied with a sigh.

She knew her assistant had just been acting out of protectiveness over her, so she could hardly fault him for it. But unfortunately his involvement in the Eva Porter case ended up opening a giant can of worms that he was no longer able to handle closing back up on his own, which is why Lexa had decided to step in. She absentmindedly straightened the sleeves on her shirt before speaking again.

"I was definitely shocked when he told me about your role in a case that involved one of my clients," Lexa confessed.

"It's a small world," he simply replied.

"It's a tiny world with someone like Eva Porter poking her head around every corner of my life," Lexa said in a sigh as she pulled a hand through her hair. "Anyways, after I heard the whole story and realized that all the evidence Aden and his roommate got wouldn't be admissible in court, I involved myself a little deeper."

"Okay," Bellamy said, "just how much deeper?"

"Pretty deep," Lexa said before shrugging, "but I'm an attorney, so I can do that."

"Right," Bellamy said as he laughed at her joke. "So what's your plan?"

"I figure if we can somehow connect the break-ins to Eva Porter," Lexa explained, "it would allow us to go after a search warrant that might lead us to _legally_ seize the evidence that Aden and his roommate tried to get."

Bellamy leaned back in his chair and a look of agreement washed over his face. She couldn't help but smirk ever-so-lightly by the way he looked impressed as well. She reached for her briefcase and pulled out a few folders before setting them on the table for Bellamy to look through.

"When I met with the police at my apartment after it had been broken into, they gave me this missing property report," Lexa explained as she pointed to the copy of the report in her file. "If you'll see the last item on the list is a bottle of beer."

"Okay..." Bellamy said slowly, not sure where the brunette was going with her current explanation.

"I think one of the intruders took it out of my fridge and drank it," Lexa stated confidently.

"And what," Bellamy started, "you're hoping to get DNA evidence from it?"

"Actually yes," Lexa answered. "I've been working with a detective at the local police department, and he was able to track the bottle down at the city landfill, and it's being tested as we speak."

"You're kidding," Bellamy said as he took out his own notebook from his pocket and clicked his pen open to jot down some notes.

"Not kidding," Lexa replied. "Also the hospital took scrapings from under Clarke's nails on the night of the assault, as is protocol for any violent crime, and the lab is testing those as well. My hope is that we can get a common DNA profile between the two, which would–"

"Link the intruder at your apartment to the intruder at Clarke's apartment," Bellamy finished before he started scribbling down more notes.

"Then we link him to Eva Porter and get our search warrant," Lexa explained.

" _If_ we can link him to Eva Porter," Bellamy clarified.

"Trust me, Bellamy," Lexa said as she leaned forward in her chair for emphasis, "from what I know about Eva, this has her fingerprints all over it."

Bellamy simply nodded and looked down to flip through the files sitting on the table. He wanted to make sure everything about Lexa's involvement in the case made sense to him, since ultimately the completion of the case would rest in his hands, so he carefully studied everything and took a few more pages of notes before he clicked his pen closed and looked up to Lexa.

"This will be an incredible break in my case if it pans out," he said honestly.

"I'm hoping it will," Lexa replied. "But even if it only leads to the identity of the man who attacked Clarke, that's good enough for me."

Bellamy flicked his eyes up to meet Lexa's gaze at the mention of Clarke's name, and she watched as he swallowed a couple of times and fidgeted with his shiny silver pen before clearing his throat and blinking a few times.

"Listen, Lexa," he started with a weak voice and cleared his throat again. "I just wanted to apologize to you for what happened that night."

Lexa eyed him carefully, not exactly knowing what Bellamy was getting at. She cocked her head to the side and waited in silence for him to continue.

"When Clarke and I were at the club earlier that night, we got caught up in the moment..."

Lexa's heart dropped, and her breathing slowed as she took in the words coming out of his mouth.

"... Clarke looked so beautiful, and we'd already had a couple of drinks..."

Lexa swallowed, or tried to, as her throat suddenly became drier than a desert.

"... I didn't plan on kissing her..."

Her eyelids drooped under the weight of heartbreak, and her ears dimmed out the sound of Bellamy's voice until he was just a mumbling blob in her hazy sight.

"... she seemed just as surprised as me..."

Bellamy's voice phased out again as her mind began to cloud even further. Bellamy and Clarke had kissed? They had kissed on the night of Clarke's assault? Clarke had kissed Bellamy and hadn't told her about it?

"Anyways, I'm so sorry," Bellamy said, "and I promise nothing like that will ever happen again."

Lexa could barely function. She could barely breathe. Her brain was barely sending signals to her body anymore as she sat frozen in her chair, likely to mold into the distressed wood and become one with it. She honestly couldn't believe the pieces of information that her ears had managed to hear, and she wasn't entirely sure how to even react. Should she be mad? Should she be hurt? Should she punch Bellamy? Should she blame Clarke?

"I understand," Lexa spit out the bold-faced lie before reaching for her file folders on the table. She stacked them together and quickly shoved them into her briefcase, not bothering to slip the clasp shut before standing up. "I should probably be heading out."

"Of course," Bellamy replied as he stood to mimic Lexa's position. "Thanks for everything you've done, Lexa."

"You're welcome," she heard herself say. "I'll... update you... on the results as soon as I... hear something."

And with that, Lexa turned and hurried out of the coffee shop to leave a concerned-looking Bellamy behind. He sighed and slumped down to his chair before running a hand through his hair. He'd hoped his apology to Lexa would have gone as smoothly as his apology to Clarke, but he knew by how the way Lexa hastily made her exit that it definitely hadn't gone according to plan.

* * *

Lexa found herself pacing the city streets for the last twenty minutes of the hour she'd told Clarke she would be gone. She felt trapped. There was nothing more she wanted to do than go back to her own apartment and think through the conversation she'd half-heard from Bellamy, but Clarke –injured Clarke– was waiting for her back at her own apartment and Lexa had told her an hour. She told her she would be gone for one hour, and she couldn't just not go back. With one last grit of her teeth, Lexa turned on her heels and began a slow walk back to Clarke's apartment.

When she opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see Clarke still on the couch. As with every time Lexa had entered the apartment over the last few days, Clarke made no move to look back at her as she closed the door behind her and hesitantly walked further into the apartment. Before she could even make it past the kitchen, Lexa froze mid-step. She was struck with the same confusion of emotion she'd experienced at the coffee shop, and the insecurity in her own feelings made her take pause for a few long moments.

She had to willed herself to pick up her feet from the floor and walk into the dining room where she set her briefcase quietly on the dining room table and flipped open the top. It was in that very moment that she chanced a glance over to the couch to see Clarke watching her intensely, and Lexa suddenly felt small under the gaze of bright blue eyes. She fought against her uncertainty on how to approach the situation burning her insides and silently moved to pull the file folders from her tote. She kept her gaze trained on Clarke, and before she knew it Clarke was speaking.

"Did you have to meet a client?" Clarke asked coolly, but the challenging look in her eyes was all Lexa needed to realize what she was actually asking.

It was as if the dam of her reserve had finally come crashing open, and all of the feelings she'd been struggling with for the past week began to tumble out in her expressions, her movements, and soon enough her words. She gripped the files in her hand tightly and walked towards Clarke, rounding the couch and standing squarely in front of the blonde with only the coffee table separating them. Clarke had been locked onto her gaze the entire time, not breaking it when Lexa stopped in front of her.

"I was meeting with Bellamy," Lexa told Clarke honesly.

They remained locked in a charged gaze, though Clarke's determination was quickly dissipating, and the only expression Clarke could read on Lexa's face was that of passion. Angry passion, passionate heartbreak, and an undecided passion that had Clarke feeling as though she was shrinking under the intensity of it. She finally snapped out of her thoughts as a dull thwack of the file folders Lexa had been holding sounded as they came rushing down onto the surface of the coffee table where Lexa had let them drop.

"We were discussing your case," Lexa said with a surprising amount of calmness in her tone, "the case I've been working on since I've been back," she continued as she motioned towards the dining room, "the case I've been losing sleep over for the past three days."

Clarke swallowed as her gaze finally broke from Lexa's and flicked down to the two cream-colored folders lying on her coffee table. She looked back up to see Lexa cross her arms over her chest defensively, and she definitely saw a look of heartbreak pass over the brunette's face that time.

"He apologized to me for kissing you."

Clarke's heart slammed against her chest at the words, and she momentarily lost all ability to speak. Why the hell had Bellamy told Lexa he kissed her? He didn't kiss her. He _tried_ to kiss her, but he didn't kiss her, and _'holy mother of fuck, Lexa thinks I kissed Bellamy,'_ Clarke thought as her brain finally caught up with current time. A turmoil of emotions started to bubble up inside of her as she fought with herself about how she wanted to respond first.

 _'Why the hell did Bellamy tell you he kissed me?'_

 _'Are you accusing me of cheating on you?'_

 _'Did he not tell you the whole story?'_

She wasn't able to form a response before Lexa was speaking again.

"I think it's time we talked, Clarke," Lexa said determinedly as she took a firm stance. "I mean, you haven't even given me a chance to tell you there's absolutely nothing going on between me and Eva Porter now or ever, and then I find out you kissed Bellamy behind my back?"

"I didn't kiss Bellamy," Clarke finally heard herself say back, ignoring the pain in her rib cage as she did so.

"Then tell me what's going on," Lexa demanded, "because Bellamy seems to have had a different experience that involved you two _actually_ kissing."

"I have no idea what Bellamy told you, but I'm telling you that I didn't kiss Bellamy," Clarke said, "He tried to kiss me, and I pushed him away."

Lexa just sighed as Clarke spoke.

"Why is it that I'm supposed to believe you when you tell me a kiss with Bellamy didn't happen," Lexa asked before continuing, "yet it seems _so difficult_ for you to believe me when I tell you that nothing has happened, is happening, or will ever happen with Eva?"

"You went to Washington DC with her and didn't even tell me!" Clarke replied immediately.

"I had no idea she was coming," Lexa explained honestly. "I had lectures scheduled for the rest week, which Aden had to cancel when I found out she was meeting me there. How am I supposed to tell you that if you won't even give me a minute to explain it?"

"And if you had explained that to me, my damage would have been the same," Clarke replied. "She was still there with you, and that still made me uncomfortable."

"What was I supposed to do, Clarke?" Lexa asked honestly.

"Leave," Clarke told her.

"She's a client," Lexa argued, "I can't just leave my clients in the middle of a political rally."

"Yes, you can," Clarke said as she shook her head lightly, "or at the very least you could have told her to back the hell off."

Lexa faltered slightly as she registered Clarke's words.

"I don't understand why you couldn't have just trusted me," Lexa said as her voice broke. "I told you that nothing would happen between us, and you didn't trust me."

"Lexa," Clarke sighed in frustrating as she combed a hand through her hair, "you've literally done nothing to distance yourself from Eva since the moment you signed her as your client."

"And?" Lexa questioned her. "Isn't the whole idea of trust to take my word that nothing is going on when I tell you that nothing is going on?"

"Not when I've been pummeled with evidence to the contrary at every turn," Clarke argued back.

"Which you haven't even given me five minutes to explain!" Lexa retorted.

Clarke's mouth snapped closed, and she sat in silence as she wondered what she wanted to ask her girlfriend first. If Lexa wanted five minutes, she would give her five minutes. Lexa, on the other hand, just closed her eyes tightly and sighed. She knew they were at odds with one another and the likelihood that either of them were going to give up their stance at this point in the argument was unlikely.

Lexa let her shoulders slump and turned herself away from Clarke before walking down the hallway and into the bathroom. It wasn't until she was left alone in the living room that Clarke noticed just how hard her heart was beating. Her chest ached, and she had no idea whether she had the strength to continue arguing with Lexa for the rest of the night. She blinked away a few tears that had managed to slip out of the corners of her eyes and used her crutches propped against the couch to pull herself up with a grunt as a sharp pain burst in her chest from her injured ribs.

As she clunked her way towards her bathroom, she couldn't help but turn her head towards the closed door of the guest bathroom where Lexa had retreated and contemplated for a brief moment about stopping there and banging on the door and either yelling at her some more or begging her to just hold her and never let go. A brief moment turned into a few lingering seconds, and when Clarke heard a quiet sob being choked back, she automatically pulled herself towards the door before pausing.

"Lexa–"

At the very moment the name tumbled from her lips, she heard the shower spray start up but listened intently for a response regardless. From the other side of the door, Lexa remained glued to her spot on the floor with her ear practically pressed up against the door waiting for any kind of confirmation that she'd actually heard her name from the other side like she could have sworn she did. When no confirmation came, Lexa sighed as a few more tears joined those already staining her cheeks and stripped herself of her clothes before stepping into the shower. Clarke let out a breath she'd been holding in her lungs when she heard Lexa pull the shower curtain open and then closed before turning to make her way to her bedroom.

She made a quick trip to the bathroom before settling herself under the sheets of her bed. Fortunately there was about an inch of water left in the glass sitting on her bedside table, and Clarke popped one of her pain pills, washing it down with the rest of the tepid water, and turned on the television hoping that she would be pulled into sleep to find momentary peace of mind from both her physical and emotional pain. She barely registered the sound of the shower turning off before she was granted her wish as her mind was swept into a deep sleep.

* * *

 _Clarke was screaming as her body remained still, contradictory to the intense panic that she felt coursing through her veins. Her muscles pulsated under each of the points on her body the man straddling her touched. The skin on her face itched as thick red blood poured steadily from her nose, her mouth, her eyes, and her ears. She could hear her heartbeat pounding her eardrums in a rhythm she couldn't discern. It was contrary to every normal pulse she had ever listened to from the bell of a stethoscope, and her desperate need for it to even out was making it oscillate even more erratically._

 _As time around her slowed, she tried to peer into the eyes of her attacker only to be met with a mane of dark brunette hair wafting gently in front of her face. The stringy ends tickled her face and a few strands dipped into her blood, painting them red like an artist's brush as they worked on creating a masterpiece. Her eyes drifted to the left, and she watched as a hooded figure came into view. The field of her vision began to blur as splotches of red began to veil her view, finally filling everything so she was looking out into a sea of her own blood._

 _As the hooded figure drew closer, Clarke squinted her eyes in a desperate attempt to squeeze out the crimson so that she could focus on the figure that was now towering over her as the man still pinned her down. She gasped desperately for air, unable to let any of her breaths fill up her lungs, and as the hood fell from the face of the figure looming above Clarke suddenly was able to see in a shade other than red. Piercing back at her were eyes of green, situated perfectly on a face she knew. Soft brunette curls framed the strong jawline she had once traced with her fingers and caressed with her lips, and as if time began to slow down around her she watched in confusion as the face in front of her began to smile. She lifted her arm and reached out to try and touch the curved lips she'd once kissed, but Clarke only managed to push herself farther and farther away with each additional inch she stretched. Her vision began to blur with unshed tears as the figure before her drifted away, and the green eyes that had just been piercing through the amber glow in her sights had vanished as the face of the figure was distorted by the hood once again before disappearing altogether._

Clarke's eyes fluttered open, and she was met with overwhelming darkness. The events of the earlier that evening came rushing back to her mind as she reached for her phone to check the time.

12:42am.

As she placed her phone back down on the small table beside her bed, she accidently clinked it against the glass of water she'd drank the last little bit from before she fell asleep and noticed that it was now full again. Clarke swallowed the painful lump in her throat and blinked a few times as she looked up at her ceiling. The TV had been turned off as well, and the silence of the night crept up around her and settled heavily in her ears. It wasn't until a few seconds had passed that Clarke heard a small, continuous sound coming from the far side of her bedroom. She craned her head forward and blinked a few times to focus in on the sight of Lexa, huddled into a little ball in a small chair set by the foot of her bed.

Clarke swallowed a painful sob and buried it deep in her chest, burning her lungs as she did so. She removed her covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed, reaching for her crutches and pulling herself into a standing position. She made her way down to the end of the bed as quietly as she could before sitting down on it, directly opposite of Lexa's still sleeping form. She let her eyes wander over the girl in front of her, noting the tissue grasped tightly between the fingers of her left hand. A tear rolled down her cheek as she realized that _she_ was the reason Lexa had been crying at the end of her bed. _She_ was the reason Lexa was hurting. _She_ was the reason for everything, for all of this, and it rendered her barely able to breathe.

The second her eyes drifted down from her girlfriend's face, peaceful under the strong spell of slumber, she trained her gaze on the sweatshirt she saw Lexa wearing. The breath Clarke sucked in when she saw it stuck in her throat as she noticed that it was her sweatshirt. Her favorite sweatshirt. Her vision blurred even further as she let her eyes drink in the soft blue color of the fabric and the way the letters spelling out 'Columbia University' were worn from their original deep navy blue to a faded blue. Some of the stitching was loose, and Clarke knew the fleece on the inside of the sweatshirt was tightly balled after years of wearing and washing, but she could almost feel the warmth of the material long missing it's softness against her skin. Tears were spilling from her eyes by this point, and it only took a small sniffle to bring Lexa out of her dreamland and into the present.

"Clarke?" Lexa croaked quietly, her voice heavy with fatigue.

Clarke's continuity of her weeping was the only response she was able to give at that moment, and it gave Lexa time to sit up straighter in her chair and rub the haziness from her eyes. She quietly scooted the chair closer to the end of the bed where Clarke sat crying silently and with no indication of stopping. Clarke's thoughts seemed anything but silent in her own head as memories of her dad came rushing through her mind as she kept her gaze trained on the sweatshirt Lexa was wearing. It was an unexpected symbol that represented her father in many ways, all of which were so important to Clarke and all of which were reasons why the sweatshirt had become her favorite the moment after her father passed away all those years ago.

As she looked harder at the item of clothing, the symbol of her father, a life-changing realization began to come to her. She had made it this far. She had found strength. After the loss of her father, Clarke had doubted every day whether she'd have the strength to go on with her life, make something of herself, find someone else to love. But she had. She realized that she had been able to move on and live a wonderful life, trials and tribulations included, and she was strong enough. And seeing Lexa, _actually seeing_ her, in that sweatshirt made it finally click in her mind that she didn't have only herself to rely on for strength anymore. She had Lexa. If she could give her the trust and respect she deserved, she had Lexa to help make her strong when she alone couldn't be. If she wasn't all in with Lexa, then she was all out.

And she wanted to be all in.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked again, this time moving to rest her hands onto Clarke's knees.

Clarke said nothing in response as she lowered her head to rest in her hands and sobs began to wrack her body. Lexa remained just as she was, with her hands on Clarke's knees, and watched as her girlfriend began to crumble into tiny pieces right in front of her. She felt Clarke's body began to tremble as her sobs subsided and Lexa's heart nearly shattered when she saw Clarke's face rise, painted with pain and regret, and her watery gaze locked with Lexa's concerned one. It wasn't long before tears were beginning to pool in Lexa's eyes as well, but she clenched her jaw and willed herself not to lose control.

"My dad bought me that sweatshirt," Clarke whispered as she fixed her gaze upon it. Lexa looked down to remember what she'd shrugged on before falling asleep and brought her hands back to her own lap so that her fingers could toy with the bottom of the floppy fabric, suddenly worrying whether she should even be wearing it.

"My dad bought it for me," Clarke explained as her voice cracked. "The day after I got my acceptance letter to Columbia, he came home with that sweatshirt for me. I'd never seen him smile as wide as he did when he unfolded it and held it up in front of me. I just laughed, thinking it was cool to have a sweatshirt with my University name on it... I didn't know it would be the last thing he'd ever give me."

Lexa swallowed back a few sobs, forcing them to die in her chest, as she listened intently to Clarke tell her about the sweatshirt. She knew it was difficult for Clarke to speak about her dad and that every time she did, Clarke would find herself so emotionally entrenched in her memories of him that it was almost like she was travelling back in time and reliving each one as she told their stories. Clarke let her fingers fidget nervously with one another until she looked up at Lexa to meet her gaze once again and never letting it go.

"I want my best friend back," Clarke whispered as tears streamed down her face quicker than she could manage to blink them free. Lexa nodded out of instinct, but suddenly wasn't sure whether Clarke was talking about her or her dad. Lexa clenched her jaw a few times and waited for Clarke to continue.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away," Clarke said as her body began to tremble and her tears continued to come. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you," she continued as a few powerful sobs wrenched their way out of her chest, "I'm sorry for everything... I'm sorry for everything..."

Lexa was crying audibly at that point, inhaling small gasps of air into her lungs as her heart exploded with the sound of hearing exactly what she had needed to hear. Lexa's hand went back to Clarke's knees, and they both continued to weep. Clarke gripped her hands around the edge of the mattress and squeezed it hard as if it was all that was anchoring her from losing herself in the tidal wave of emotions pouring from her.

"I want my best friend back," Clarke sobbed, "I want you back in every way... because I... because I love you."

The millions of tiny shards Lexa's heart had broken into at the beginning of the evening were suddenly being lifted back into place, reunited with each piece it had broken away from, and the three small words Clarke had just confessed through her sobs were warming her soul and healing her heart. Lexa's hands shot up from her lap, and she rested them lightly on either side of Clarke's jaw. A few tears slipped from Clarke's eyes as she closed them at the gentle touch, and her hands wrapped around Lexa's forearms just before the press of lips against hers sent her heart soaring into the clouds.

Lexa kissed her. She kissed her with every ounce of desperation she'd been pushing down since the moment she had walked into Clarke's hospital room on the night she was attacked. Her lips pulled carefully at Clarke's, wanting to feel and taste every inch of her, wanting to express in her movements that she too loved Clarke more than anything in this world, wanting to tell her without actually having to tell her that she was here, forever, no matter what and there was nothing that could ever pull her away. Their cries tumbled from their mouths and tangled between each other's lips as the continued to kiss until they were both breathless in the most dizzying way. With their foreheads resting together, they caught their breath and Clarke waited to hear Lexa speak. She wanted to hear that the brunette loved her. That she returned her love. So she waited to hear her. She waited to hear her say it.

"I quit my job," Lexa finally whispered against Clarke's lips.

Clarke blinked a few times in bafflement and pulled her head back to look into Lexa's clouded green eyes. She searched them for a few seconds only to find a look of utter peace and contentment on Lexa's face. Clarke barely realized the joyous, yet confused, chuckle escape from her throat until she heard it in her own ears, and she opened her mouth to speak.

"What?"

"I quit my job, Clarke," Lexa repeated herself as she swallowed thickly and a fresh supply of tears began to pool at the bottom of her eyes. "I don't want _anything_ to _ever_ come between us, whether it's a job or a completely miscommunicated fight or anything else. You are my life. You are the only thing that has ever made sense to me, even when you confuse the hell out of me."

Clarke laughed through her tears and squeezed Lexa's arms tighter under her fingers.

"I am _so incredibly_ in love with you, Clarke," Lexa said with a trembling voice, "and the only thing I wished more for this moment is that I would have told you sooner."

"It's enough," Clarke croaked as she shook her head. "It's enough... if I'm enough."

"Always," Lexa said quickly.

Clarke pulled Lexa from her chair and didn't stop pulling until Lexa was straddling Clarke's hips. She felt Lexa's arms wrap tightly around her neck as her own encircled Lexa's waist, holding her in the tightest embrace she was able to manage regardless of the pain radiating from her rib cage as they clutched to each other and cried lightly into each other's necks. Lexa wove the fingers on her right hand into curly blonde tresses, and she gently massaged the scalp underneath as Clarke's crying slowed. Their breathing returned to normal aside from the random sniff and sigh as they finally managed to pull themselves together. Lexa leaned back to let her eyes wander over Clarke's face before her fingertips moved to follow the same path.

"I love you," Lexa whispered.

"I love you too," Clarke whispered back.

Another kiss was shared, tears were wiped, and noses were blown before Lexa was leading Clarke back to the head of the bed and carefully tucking her injured body under the covers. Lexa felt a small hand slip into hers just as she had turned to walk back to her chair at the end of the bed, but Clarke's eyes told her to lie beside her so that was precisely what she did. Careful not to agitate any of Clarke's injuries, Lexa slipped under the covers and slid over so that their bodies were pressed solidly against each other and their fingers were intertwined on top of the covers. They both slipped into a deep and peaceful sleep, the chair at the end of the bed long forgotten.


	21. Chapter 21

Waking up in an empty bed was nothing new for Lexa. She had never been one for casual hook-ups or one night stands. She'd had girlfriends before, but not many and never for very long. Love, that of the romantic variety, always seemed to allude her at every point in her life whether she had felt prepared for it or not. In fact, love was something Lexa never thought she would find. She never considered herself worthy of it, believing if once she had attained it she wouldn't know how to keep it from slipping through her fingers, so the easier fate to accept was to simply think that love would never find her.

And then she met Clarke.

The first time they met, Lexa couldn't deny the chemistry between them. She wasn't one to believe in love at first sight because really, why would a girl who thought love would never find her believe in love at first sight, but Lexa could feel something in the air between them the longer they were around each other and the more they got to know one another. The one rainy afternoon she spent inside an amphitheater sitting among a crowd of proud parents and happy spouses watching Clarke walk across a stage to receive her diploma from medical school was the day Lexa couldn't have been happier that Anya had dragged her to The Ark that one night years earlier so that Lexa could finally meet her mysterious gym buddy, Lincoln, and his other friends. She spent that entire night talking to Clarke, and they both spoke to each other as if they had been the only ones in the club.

The years proceeding their first meeting were the best in Lexa's life. She had maintained a close relationship with Anya and cultivated a strong bond with the other friends she'd been introduced to, Raven, Octavia, Lincoln, but her relationship with Clarke quickly blossomed into something special. By the time Lexa had fallen in love with Clarke Griffin, they had become best friends, and it was because of this friendship that Lexa didn't even actually realize that she was in love with the girl. They were close, sure. All best friends were close. They supported each other through good times and bad, of course. Best friends were the ones who were there for you no matter what time it was, no matter how tired they were, no matter whether they could give advice or just lend a gentle ear. So it had taken Lexa, quite frankly, an inordinate amount of time to realize that what she was feeling for her best friend of so many years was actually something more than friendship.

And then it was a Thursday.

That one Thursday night that happened to be the night Lexa was no longer able to keep her feelings bottled up inside. That one night that she had seen Clarke, beautiful as she always was acting light and carefree, and something inside of her snapped in the most delicious way possible. Feelings of love and lust clouded her mind as she studied her best friend for the better part of that night, and she was barely able to contain herself from pummeling the dance partner Clarke had taken at the end of the evening and stepping in to claim a dance for herself. Thankfully Clarke had done that for her, not the pummeling part but the getting rid of her dance partner part, and they shared a few songs exploring each other with their eyes and their hands.

And then Lexa woke up.

After months of dating and a week or so of fighting, Clarke and Lexa had found their way back together in the midst of a television drama-worthy series of events that had ultimately lead to a violent assault and a plan between an attorney, a detective, and a security agent to bring down one of the wealthiest and most powerful companies in the entire country all because a vindictive, entitled, snobby young city council hopeful decided she wanted something that wasn't hers. Their fight against the powerhouse company and egocentric politician wasn't over yet, which was why Lexa had found herself in Clarke's bed that morning as she had been staying at her girlfriend's apartment for the past few days while she cared for her after she'd become the victim of a break-in gone awry.

But she was alone.

Lexa's eyes fluttered open, and her eyebrows immediately scrunched in confusion as she finally realized that she had fallen asleep by Clarke's side the night before, yet Clarke was nowhere to be found. The blonde wasn't overly mobile at that point, although she had been forcing herself to use her crutches the last couple of days, and it wasn't exactly in Clarke's nature to be awake so early if she didn't absolutely have to be. After a small stretch loosened her muscles that had been tense since she walked into that hospital room to see Clarke lying helplessly on the small hospital bed, Lexa flipped the blankets off of her body and slid out of the bed in search of Clarke.

She pulled a hand through her slightly tangled hair and quickly glanced towards the bathrooms as she passed each one of them on her way out to the hallway. As she walked further into the apartment, she finally saw her favorite blonde hair peeking out from over the top of the couch and she quickly rounded the large piece of over-stuffed furniture to climb onto it. Clarke was sitting up with her broken ankle propped on top of a fluffed pillow resting on the coffee table, and she held the cream colored file folders Lexa had not-so-subtly presented to her the day before. The tiny creases between her eyebrows were deepening as Clarke scrunched her face while her blue eyes scanned down a photocopied page, and it was only when Lexa's knee bumped her arm as she found a comfortable position on the couch that Clarke looked up to notice that her girlfriend had woken up and joined her.

"I can't believe all of this," Clarke said as she shook her head while looking at Lexa.

"Yeah," Lexa replied as her voice scratched with sleep.

"How come you didn't tell me that your apartment was broken into?" Clarke asked as she sat back a little further into the couch.

"Well, we haven't exactly been on... the best speaking terms..." Lexa began, "and I didn't want to worry you or drudge up unnecessary memories about your attack if I didn't have to."

"You sure have a nice way of telling someone they were being a huge bitch," Clarke teased with a sigh.

Lexa laughed, legitimately laughed, and Clarke couldn't help but smile in response. She remained perfectly still as Lexa readjusted herself so that she was lightly pressed up against her where their bodies met as they sat next to each other. Lexa shrugged as her laughter tapered off, but she chose not to respond to Clarke's last comment. Clarke didn't need her to... she knew she had been exactly that and didn't really need Lexa to confirm it to know it.

"So," Clarke started again, "what did you and Bellamy come up with last night?"

Lexa paused and looked over to Clarke as she remained silent for a few moments. She would tell Clarke anything she wanted to know, but first she wanted to hear about everything that had happened the evening before her assault happened. She owed Lexa that much.

"Actually, before I get into all of that," Lexa said softly, "I'd like to hear about what exactly happened the night you were out with Bellamy. I think we should just clear the air on that and then start fresh."

"Fair enough," Clarke agreed as she angled herself slightly towards Lexa. "So Bellamy called me and asked if I wanted to meet him to catch up since he was back in the city."

Lexa nodded, knowing that Bellamy had been in the city working on the Porter case after Aden had contacted him with some incriminating evidence he'd found.

"We went to a jazz club," Clarke continued, "that one he'd always go to and rave about the music."

"Mhmm," Lexa acknowledged, knowing exactly the club she was talking about.

"We ordered dinner, we ate, we had two rounds of martinis," Clarke explained, "hardly enough for me to buzzed let alone drunk. Then he invited me to dance, which I didn't think was a big deal at all considering the millions of times we'd danced together before at The Ark or at parties or wherever."

Lexa nodded again in agreement.

"We were dancing, and... Bellamy squeezed my hip, so I looked up at him and..." Clarke trailed off, "and he leaned forward to kiss me."

Lexa swallowed and waited in silence for Clarke to continue. She didn't dare move, she didn't dare blink, in case she would miss something in the explanation this time.

"Before he could even do it, I pushed him back and freaked out," Clarke admitted. "I walked back to our table, threw some money down for my meal, and walked out. I just left him there."

Lexa nodded.

"I have no idea why Bellamy told you that we kissed," Clarke said, "but I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that we did not kiss. It didn't happen."

"Okay," Lexa finally voiced. She did believe her. After all they had been through over the last week and the heart-to-heart they'd shared the previous night, she knew Clarke was telling the truth. "I'll admit that I was... shocked when Bellamy started telling me about what happened... it's possible that I missed the point of his story a few times."

Clarke nodded but said nothing.

"I think that from now on," Lexa started with a cleansing sigh, "we need to start kind of an open book policy and tell each other things, like what happened with Bellamy and what happened with Eva, so that we have a better understanding of what's going on in each other's lives. The miscommunication and lack of communication is what really made all of this into something it wasn't even in the first place."

"Agreed," Clarke said quietly.

She knew that she had been awful at not voicing her worries about Eva Porter, and she was already feeling lighter now that Lexa had made a new relationship rule. They were growing, most importantly together, and preparing to become a stronger couple as they set sights on their future together. The thought of that was also all Clarke needed to remember their conversation the previous and declarations of love that had come from them both.

"So," Clarke started out hesitantly, "did you mean what you said last night? That you're in love with me?"

"Of course," Lexa said as her brow furrowed and her gaze danced over Clarke's face. Her expression lightened, and her voice spoke sincerely when she said, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, Clarke."

"So I guess I can take that to mean you actually quit your job then too?" Clarke asked, having remembered Lexa telling her as much during that same conversation.

"I _actually_ quit my job," Lexa said with a smile and a nod. "I called my boss after I got out of the shower last night."

"How did he take it?" Clarke asked.

"He was shocked," Lexa replied. "Then he was pissed. Then he tried to talk me into staying. But ultimately he accepted my resignation and wished me the best."

"What are you going to do now?" Clarke wondered out loud. She knew money wasn't a problem for Lexa, but she also knew her girlfriend was passionate about law.

"I don't know," Lexa replied honestly. "I'd kind of like to take some time off of work to... take care of you... if that's something you would want..."

Clarke couldn't help but smile as Lexa waffled through her words, stopping every so often to swallow nervously and fidget with her hands.

"Let's see," Clarke began as she feigned thinking long and hard about what Lexa had just asked her, "my girlfriend, the woman I love, is going to stay with me for who knows how long catering to my every whim, cleaning my apartment, and cooking my meals. Hmmm..."

Lexa rolled her eyes as Clarke tapped the pad of her index finger against her chin as she thought in jest.

"Of course it's something I would want," Clarke finally finished. "Although I know it's not what I deserve..."

Lexa shook her head lightly and turned her body towards Clarke as she spoke.

"Clarke," she began softly, "relationships happen. They happen to be happy, they happen to be sad, they happen to have... heartbreak... but they also happen to be the most important things in life worth fighting for. This, our relationship, is worth that to me."

"It's worth it to me too," Clarke agreed as a few tears came streaking down her cheeks only for Lexa to reach up and brush them away with her fingers.

They shared a few silent seconds just being there with one another before Clarke's gaze dropped to Lexa's lips.

"I love you," Clarke whispered.

Lexa inched own face within a breath of Clarke's before she whispered back.

"I love you too, Clarke."

Their lips met already parted, and Lexa's hands dropped to Clarke's waist the moment she felt Clarke reach up to weave her hand through her long brunette locks. The steady grip Clarke had against the base of Lexa's head was purposeful as if she was desperate to keep the two of them together now and always. Their kiss remained exploratory for a while, as if they were both rediscovering each other until Clarke moaned when Lexa bit down on her bottom lip before swiping her tongue over to ease the sting.

It ignited something in Clarke that had her panting in a manner of seconds and aching to feel Lexa's hands on her body, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere. Clarke turned herself into Lexa more fully in order to urge the brunette to feel her, but by doing so she only managed to twist her broken ribs just enough to cause a sharp paint to shoot through her chest and escape her throat in the form of a mangled grunt. Lexa immediately ripped her lips away from Clarke's and steadied her hands lightly atop of where she knew Clarke's injury was.

"Ugh," Clarke groaned as she tilted her chin towards the ceiling, "all these broken bones are going to be a serious buzz kill over the next few weeks."

Lexa laughed for the second time that morning as she moved a piece of Clarke's hair away from her eyes and kissed her cheek lightly.

* * *

Nothing out of the ordinary happened in the days following. In fact, everything Clarke and Lexa did together was the perfect picture _of_ ordinary. They woke up together every morning and discussed how Clarke's injuries were feeling. They played with each other's fingers, caressed each other's skin, and kissed each other's lips until they were ready to face the day. Lexa made Clarke breakfast, and Clarke thanked her profusely and always made sure to offer small noises of delight while she ate whatever it was that Lexa had prepared for her that morning. Not that Clarke had to try _that_ hard to look like she was enjoying her meals since it was nearly impossible _not_ to due to Lexa's ridiculously incredible food-preparing talents. The girl may have missed her calling as a chef, Clarke was sure of it.

After breakfast, they would either sit or lie on the couch together and watch another marathon of Big Bang Theory or equally as entertaining a show for a while before Lexa would rise wordlessly to make them something for lunch. In the afternoons, Lexa would sometimes retreat to her work space in the dining room and go over the Porter case while Clarke napped on the couch as the TV quietly played in the background. Lexa always made sure to turn the volume down during those afternoons, knowing that the more rest Clarke got during her recovery the quicker she would actually recover. It wasn't that she minded taking care of Clarke, but it was just that there were certain... activities... she was missing during the time Clarke was slowly healing from her injuries. Clarke was certainly missing them too, and she made it a point to bite her lip in frustration at least once a day when her mind took her to altogether sinful places.

Dinner was usually simple but satisfying and always left Clarke feeling guilty she wasn't able to help Lexa clear away their dishes or clean up the kitchen. They fell into an even easier routine in the evenings with Lexa obsessively reading Indra's latest book and Clarke dabbling in her sketchbook. She was sure Lexa had seen her painting in its beginning stages by now, but Clarke wasn't too eager to start working on it while Lexa was still staying with her at her apartment. She'd started it as a surprise, and she wanted to finish it that way.

This particular night, Clarke found herself with Lexa's head in her lap and she gently wove her fingers through soft brunette locks. She looked down at her girlfriend with reverence, carefully mapping all of the delicate curves of her face with her gaze before moving her fingers along the same pathways. Lexa was napping peacefully, her book lying against her stomach as it had found itself after she had finally drifted into a pleasant sleep under the gentle ministrations of Clarke's fingers in her hair, and Clarke's sketchbook had been placed onto the small table beside her when she'd flipped on the TV instead. Softened blue eyes drifted over Lexa's body as she shifted in her sleep, turning herself sideways and burying her face into Clarke's stomach.

"Mmmm," Lexa mumbled in her sleepy state as she inhaled Clarke's scent and wrapped her left arm around Clarke's waist to pull herself even closer.

Clarke smiled and traced the pads of her fingertips over Lexa's left eyebrow before her hand disappeared inside a veil of loose curls once again. When she felt small circles being traced on the skin of her lower back, Clarke smiled even wider knowing that Lexa was awake from her impromptu evening nap.

"I've been thinking," Clarke said softly, breaking the silence between them.

"Mmmm," Lexa hummed in response.

"What will happen when Eva finds out that you quit?" Clarke asked honestly.

Lexa said nothing but turned her head to crack an inquisitive eye open at Clarke.

"I mean, if she _was_ the one responsible for the break-ins," Clarke started, "she is obviously under the impression that you and I were somehow involved in her company's security breech. She finds out you quit, thinks you're working against her, and she could flee the country... or destroy the evidence... or both."

"It's a possibility," Lexa replied as she lifted her head up from Clarke's lap and sat beside her, "which is precisely why I requested for my boss not to implement my official resignation until after I'd used all of my personal days. I didn't explain my reasoning, but frankly he didn't ask many questions. If all goes according to plan, Eva won't be the wiser that I even quit the firm until she's behind bars."

"You are such a bad ass," Clarke said with a smirk, "coming up with plans like you're some kind of Army general. Anya would be proud."

Lexa smiled.

"Oh!" Clarke shouted as her eyes widened in excitement. "Is that why she nicknamed you Commander?! You're actually some undercover intel operative working for the military, ensuring our freedom from evil politicians by destroying their omnipotent infrastructure one corrupt organization at a time?"

Lexa laughed out loud for a few solid seconds and shook her head.

"No," she finally answered, "but that kind of makes me sound like a super hero, doesn't it?"

"A sexy super hero," Clarke purred as she snaked her hand around Lexa's hip and tugged her closer.

"Mmmm," Lexa mumbled before her lips were being caught between Clarke's as they both pushed and pulled in a playful battle until Clarke finally leaned away with a sated grin on her lips.

"Actually," Lexa began as she wiped her index finger over her lips, "I was thinking about officially joining the other side... just for this case at least."

"You mean actually being a part of the litigation team?" Clarke asked as her eyebrows raised in unison.

Lexa nodded, not sure what Clarke would think about it.

"Wow, I didn't think I'd ever see you in a court room," Clarke said, "not that I haven't thought about it before..."

Lexa simply quirked an eyebrow as Clarke's face flushed realizing her little confession.

"You've fantasized about me litigating in a court room?" Lexa teased. "And you call _me_ the geek."

"Hey, now!" Clarke squeaked in defense as she playfully slapped at Lexa's shoulder. "First of all, no one said anything about fantasizing, and besides... you can't fault me for having a hot girlfriend who's easy to fantasize about."

"I guess you can't fault me for that either then," Lexa quipped with a smile.

Their hands found each other's and Clarke traced her fingertips along the soft skin inside Lexa's palm for a few silent moments before she finally spoke again.

"Do you think you'll end up regretting it?" Clarke asked. "Quitting your job, I mean?"

"It's not like I'm quitting law for good, Clarke," Lexa explained honestly. "I'll get another job... maybe start my own firm... who knows?"

Clarke shrugged, clearly not having heard what she wanted from Lexa in her response. She watched Clarke's expressions carefully and decided that the blonde was most likely struggling with feelings of guilt as if she had forced Lexa into a position she never intended to put her into.

"It would have been quite a conflict of interest if I tried the Porter case while I was still representing her," Lexa finally offered. "I made this decision with both of us in mind."

Clarke finally nodded in agreement and offered a small smile before she turned her attention back to the television.

* * *

The following morning Clarke awoke to the smell of bacon. The heavenly, wondrous, smoky smell of bacon. Her mouth watered almost immediately as she rubbed at her eyes, trying to bring the rest of her senses back from her dreamland, and she moved to sit up in her bed. Her ribs were feeling better as each day passed, although they were still healing and would be for a while, but Clarke could usually struggle her way into the waiting support of her crutches and manage to make her way around her apartment... slowly but surely. Lexa had offered to bring her breakfast in bed on previous occasions, which Clarke had accepted a few times, but now that she was a bit more mobile she wanted to at least crutch her way to a proper table for her meals.

So she attempted to do just that and slowly swung her legs over the side of her bed before reaching for her crutches. She lifted herself up with relative ease and made her way to the bathroom so she could make herself at least somewhat presentable. After a quick brush of her hair and of her teeth, Clarke headed back through her bedroom and out towards the kitchen where the incredible smell of the bacon accompanied the sound of it crackling into crispy perfection in a small pan on the stovetop. She smiled when she saw Lexa standing lazily in front of the oven, her hair pulled into a messy bun, her black tank top bunched and stretched tightly over her toned midsection, and her sleep shorts pulled high onto her waist on the right and low onto her hip on the left.

"I would love to wrap you up in a hug and tell you how adorable you look right now," Clarke began as she moved herself to rest against the breakfast bar, "but I'm unsteady enough on these things as it is and would probably just fling you into a burner if I tried."

Lexa turned around with a smile already on her face and walked over to Clarke with the spatula she was using to turn the bacon still in her hand. She leaned over the counter to meet Clarke halfway as they shared a chaste kiss as if to say 'good morning'. Clarke smiled and turned towards the dining room, making her way over to sit down in a chair beside the spot where Lexa usually worked on her laptop which by the looks of it she already had been.

"You've already been working and making breakfast before I even got my lazy ass out of bed," Clarke mumbled as she propped her crutches against the edge of the table.

"You're injured, Clarke," Lexa replied. "I don't expect you to do much of anything while you heal."

"And after?" Clarke asked, tilting her head to one side.

"I guess you'll be back to Pop-Tarts and coffee to go," Lexa teased with a shrug.

"Mean," Clarke muttered, and Lexa giggled. "I guess I'll just have to enjoy it while I can get it then."

"I guess so," Lexa said as she walked over to Clarke with two plates in her hand.

Clarke playfully stuck the tip of her tongue out at Lexa.

"Don't mock the cook," Lexa warned with a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

"Or what?" Clarke challenged as she leaned back in her chair.

"Or you might just _lose_ whatever you _use_ to tease her," Lexa replied coyly in reference to Clarke's tongue she had just seen peeking out of her lips.

"Take away my teasing tongue?" Clarke alliterated in a husky voice. "Mmm.. you should probably reconsider that threat..."

Lexa just swallowed as she let the words sink in and nearly gasped when she felt Clarke's right hand slide slowly up the back of her bare thigh and slip beneath the bottoms of her sleep shorts to squeeze her also bare behind. A breath escaped her lungs as she hesitated under Clarke's seductive caresses, her body burning under the touch she had craved for so long. She hadn't made any moves towards intimacy since she'd been back from DC, aside from the occasional heated kiss or two, in fear that she might hurt Clarke or agitate her injuries. But the tension she'd been feeling slowly building over the past couple of weeks was quickly coming to its tipping point as she gazed out from under hooded eyes while Clarke continued her exploration, now adding her left hand to skip across the top of her right thigh.

Clarke pulled Lexa into her gently as she raised her chin in an invitation for Lexa to kiss her. And that she did. Their lips joined together in a heated tangle as Lexa's hands found Clarke's hair and buried themselves deeply inside the sea of blonde. Her breaths were coming in short gasps, in and out, as Clarke continued to push at the soft swell of Lexa's behind before letting her tongue dance with Lexa's for several nearly breathless minutes. When they pulled away Lexa's eyes were still closed, and she tried desperately to regulate her breathing careful not to get herself worked up too much without being able to go further.

Clarke seemed to have a completely different idea when she bit her lip and looked in front of her to see Lexa's breasts ever so conveniently at her eye level. Lexa's eyes finally opened as she felt her shirt being lifted slowly, and their hazy gazes found each other's as Lexa again fought to calm her breathing at the sensation of Clarke's soft hands sliding up her stomach. She began to all but pant when Clarke bit her own lip gently, and Lexa swallowed thickly as she felt hands finally reach the bottoms of her breasts. When Clarke saw Lexa's tongue dart out to lick her own lips, it was all the confirmation she needed as she slipped the thin material of the tank top up to expose Lexa's bare chest before leaning forward and brushing her lips against the warm skin there.

"Clarke..." Lexa breathed as she let her eyes flutter shut.

Her mind was racing, as was her pulse, knowing that she shouldn't be doing this. _They_ shouldn't be doing this, not in Clarke's condition. She hadn't wanted to push the blonde into doing anything physical until she was properly healed of her injuries, and she knew without a doubt that Clarke wasn't there yet. Unfortunately her ability to speak had simply ceased to function the moment she felt Clarke seal her lips around one of her nipples, teasing the hardened bud with her tongue slowly and surely. She whimpered a few times as she got lost in the sensation of Clarke's mouth against her, but she finally was able to get her wits about her long enough to tug Clarke gently away from her chest.

"Clarke..." Lexa nearly pleaded, "we can't... your injuries..."

"Maybe _we_ can't... but I can take care of _you_ ," Clarke rasped as she tugged the brunette's shirt over her head before patting the surface of the dining room table a few times.

Lexa looked down at the table and then her eyes widened almost comically as she realized what Clarke was implying.

"Clarke!" She exclaimed in shock as her mind reeled at Clarke's audacious suggestion.

"Lexa," Clarke mimicked, "let me."

"On the dining room table?" Lexa asked rhetorically as she looked at all of the items spread out on the table. "I can't... my laptop.. and all my work..."

"Lexa," Clarke interjected with a small roll of her eyes.

"... and our breakfast..."

Clarke huffed out a small breath and lifted her hands to cup Lexa's breasts gently but with purpose.

"Clarke," Lexa breathed out heavily, "I can't... we shouldn't..."

She smirked against the brunette's cleavage as Lexa began whimpering softly while she pushed and pulled and caressed the perfectly sized mounds before finally releasing them and tracing her fingertips down the flat planes of Lexa's stomach towards the waistband of her sleep shorts. They locked their gaze as Clarke hooked her fingers around the top edge of the fabric and slowly pulled it past her hips and down her legs until it pooled in heap around her feet. Lexa felt she was mere seconds away from passing out when she felt Clarke's hands push against the front of her hips until she had backed up just a few inches to bump the hard edge of the table.

Clarke threw her a wicked smirk as she reached just past her to flip the top of Lexa's laptop closed and urged her up onto the table. Lexa swallowed again, for about the fourth time, but lifted herself onto the tips of her toes until she felt the cool wood surface of the table against her skin. She watched with bated breath as Clarke kissed her way down her stomach, stopping to nip at each of her hips, before hooking her fingers around the back of Lexa's left knee. She allowed her leg to be lifted until it was settled on Clarke's shoulder while her right foot found the seat of a nearby chair on its own.

The first ghosting touch of Clarke's tongue ignited a white hot fire deep within Lexa's lungs as her eyes rolled back before they closed on their own accord and her chin tipped up towards the ceiling. She leaned back on her hands, not paying any attention to how her work papers and file folders shifted under her palms, and moaned Clarke's name into the air as she felt a nimble tongue begin to caress her in all the places that gave her the most pleasure. How Clarke had learned all of them so quickly was beyond her, but this was neither the time nor the place to dwell on that. Her breaths began to rush from her lungs at an ever increasing pace the higher and higher she got. She felt her elbows wobble when Clarke wrapped her lips around her pulsating clit, and she lowered herself until the backs of her forearms were resting flush against the table.

"Clarke," Lexa moaned loudly as one of her hands fell to the back of Clarke's head and fingers wove deep into curly blonde locks.

Clarke used Lexa's movements and desperate sighs as encouragement to double her efforts, suddenly craving to hear her girlfriend come undone under her her steady, meaningful strokes. With Lexa's fingers still buried in her hair, Clarke raised her right hand to grasp Lexa's left and tangled their fingers together before she felt Lexa finally lower herself fully onto the surface of the table. Clarke almost lost her concentration when she glanced up to see Lexa strain her back into a perfect arch as a powerful orgasm washed over her, filling the room with some of the most sensual sounds she'd ever heard fall from the brunette's mouth. Witnessing the experience made her own core begin to throb, as if she wasn't already fiercely aroused, and she hummed her approval against Lexa which seemed to tip her into another smaller orgasm on the heels of her first. As the hand in her hair loosened itself, Clarke slowed her movements to small gentle flicks of her tongue as she helped Lexa down from her high.

Clarke placed a few lingering kisses against the inside of Lexa's thighs and scattered a few across her prominent hip bones before finally giving Lexa a tug with their hands that were still connected. She sat up slowly and looked at Clarke with a dangerously sultry expression on her face before she slipped off the table and stood in front of Clarke on unsteady legs. She immediately moved forward to lower her lips onto Clarke's, moaning into the kiss as she tasted herself. After a few long seconds, they parted slowly and stared at each other while Lexa softly traced her fingers along Clarke's face. A blush slowly crept its way up Lexa's chest and neck, finally resting high on her cheeks as Clarke raised her eyebrow playfully in response.

"That was hot," Clarke said as she punctuated her statement with a soft squeeze on Lexa's ass.

"Our breakfast is cold," Lexa finally managed to croak out as she tried to suppress both the blush on her face and the smirk tugging at her lips.

Clarke looked down at her plate and shrugged before looking back up at Lexa.

"It was totally worth it," she said with a smile.

"You have no idea," Lexa replied slyly as her own smile finally spilled across her face.

Clarke watched silently as Lexa redressed herself quickly and heated both of their plates of cold eggs and bacon in the microwave before digging in to finally satisfy their morning hunger. They ate quietly, sharing a few flirtatious looks and even fewer words until the vibration of Lexa's cell phone startled them out of their own little world.

"It's Ryder," Lexa said quickly before accepting the call and lifting it to her ear and answering excitedly, hoping he had some news for her about Clarke's case.

 _"Good morning, Lexa. It's Ryder."_

"Good morning," Lexa greeted politely. "Do you have news?"

 _"Are you sitting down?"_

"Yes," Lexa quickly confirmed as she glanced over to Clarke who was watching her intently.

 _"We have match."_

"You're kidding," Lexa breathed out dramatically. "Wait, a match to the beer bottle or..."

 _"We got a hit on the beer bottle, a hit on the nail scrapings, and a_ _ **match**_ _between the two."_

Her insides were practically exploding with excitement, and her fingers drummed quickly against the table. She barely noticed she was doing it until Clarke's hand came over the top of hers, and Lexa snapped her eyes up to blue eyes that were silently calming her. She took a deep breath and relaxed the tiniest bit.

 _"What would you say to joining us at down at the station while we interrogate this guy? We just hauled him in."_

"I'd say..." Lexa started but deferred to Clarke who nodded her head "...I'm there."

They quickly said their goodbyes, well Lexa more so than Ryder, and she nearly jumped out of her chair in her haste to start getting herself presentable enough to be seen in public. She silently cursed herself for not waking up earlier to get herself ready for the day, but when she had found herself in Clarke's warm embrace that morning in bed getting up had been the last thing on her to-do list. She rushed their dirty plates to the kitchen sink, piling on a few pans and dirty utensils before turning back towards Clarke who was just grinning at her.

"Slow down for a second," Clarke instructed with a gentle voice, and Lexa stopped running around like a headless chicken. "Tell me what's going on."

"The detective I've been working with on your case got a match between the DNA found on the beer bottle and the DNA found under your fingernails," Lexa rambled without taking a breath. "They actually _found_ the guy, which probably means he's had prior arrests and was already in the system, and he's down at the station waiting to be questioned."

Clarke nodded in understanding, having overheard that part of the conversation while Lexa was talking. The realization that her attacker was being held, at least for the moment, made her sigh in relief. She put her hands in her lap and clasped them gently together as she looked over to Lexa, whose mind seemed to be going at a million miles per hour.

"That's... incredible," Clarke settled on as her eyes widened and shook her head back and forth in disbelief. "So you'd better get a move on."

"Right!" Lexa exclaimed, suddenly snapped out of her trance.

Clarke giggled to herself as she watched Lexa streak through the living room and into the bathroom to throw on some makeup and deal with her hair, even though Clarke thought she looked beautiful as she was. She reached for her crutches and pushed herself up from the dining room chair to hobble over to the couch, where she planned on spending the rest of the morning until Lexa returned at least. She was silently hoping that Lexa would be back in time to help her take a bath before they headed to her appointment at hospital later that afternoon.

Clarke flipped on the TV and settled herself in not long before Lexa was rushing back out into the living room dressed in what Clarke assumed was the most business appropriate outfit she had with her on such short notice. She still looked flawless though with her dark blue skinny jeans hugging her in all the right places and a flowing black long sleeved blouse that showed just the perfect amount of her collarbones to accentuate her exquisite neck which was on even more display as she had opted to keep her hair pulled up in a messy bun, albeit slighly less messy that the one she'd been sporting just a while earlier.

"Will you be okay alone for a few hours?" Lexa asked as she packed her purse up in preparation to leave.

"I'll be fine," Clarke assured her. "You look amazing."

Lexa furrowed her brow at the comment and blushed slightly, not knowing what to say in response given the fact that she had literally spent ten minutes making herself look like she hadn't just rolled out of bed. She slung her purse around her shoulder and walked over to the couch, leaning over the back of it and placing a gentle peck on Clarke's waiting lips.

"I'll see you soon," Lexa said as she started towards the door.

"Okay," Clarke replied. "I love you."

Lexa stopped in her tracks and turned around towards the living room once again. Clarke, who had been waiting for a response, turned her head back just in time to see Lexa bend over the back of the couch again to capture her mouth in a slower and more meaningful kiss. She sighed into it, losing herself temporarily in the gentle caress of Lexa's lips on her own until they separated with a quiet pop.

"I love you too," Lexa whispered against parted lips before carefully pecking them one last time.

Clarke smiled and blushed furiously as Lexa gazed at her sweetly before turning once again and leaving the apartment. Lexa made sure to lock the door and check it a few times from the outside, something Clarke noticed and felt herself smiling all over again.

* * *

"He can't see you," Ryder instructed as he lead Lexa into a small viewing room that overlooked the interrogation room he was about to go into. "I'm prepared to question him until he gives up or lawyers up, so we could be here for hours or we could be here for minutes."

Lexa nodded in understanding but was having a difficult time focusing on anything the detective was saying because the man, Clarke's attacker, was already seated on one side of the steel table situated in the middle of the plain, tiled room. There was a utility light hanging overhead, two metal chairs that looked as if they were welded to the floor with a solid metal table in between. She clenched her jaw as the man swung his long brown hair over his shoulder and looked carefully around the room as if he was studying everything about it. It certainly didn't appear from his body language that it was the first time he had been in a room like he was in, and his expression remained calm and unreadable as he slouched slightly in his chair.

"If he does start talking," Ryder interrupted her thoughts, "take a break and step out if what he says starts overwhelming you."

Lexa nodded again, knowing that if he talked he would be talking about not only the fact that he broke into both her apartment and Clarke's apartment but he would also be talking about Clarke's assault. She took a steadying breath and blinked a few times before letting it slowly slip past her lips. Ryder let his hand fall on her shoulder in a comforting gesture before he turned to walk out of the viewing room. Lexa watched as the door on the other side of the two-way mirror opened and Ryder stepped in.

"Quite an impressive rap sheet you've got here," Ryder spoke determinedly as he looked down at the open folder in his hands. "Larceny, vandalism, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, aggravated burglary... and that was just your juvenile record."

The man in handcuffs simply tipped his eyes up towards the detective and kept his mouth closed. He looked almost calm, like he was challenging the seasoned official to continue. He squinted his eyes quickly before Ryder was speaking once again.

"My favorite though are these new charges," he said as he referred to the current case, "first degree burglary and attempted murder."

"Attempted murder?" The man scoffed. "And how do you figure that?"

Lexa shivered at the sound of the man's voice. It was rough and gritty, much like his physical appearance, and it was dripping with danger. The mere size of the man's hands curled loosely in his lap made it more than clear that he was capable of severe damage, and Clarke very well could have been injured far more severely than she was... or even killed. Lexa swallowed at that and shook her head free of the thought. Were they actually going to charge the man with attempted murder? Would the charges even stick?

"Why don't you tell me," Ryder countered as he closed his file and leaned over to rest his hands against the table.

Lexa heard as Ryder asked the man the famous 'where were you on the night of' question and watched as the man shook his head in what was most likely feigned ignorance. She tried to read him as he sat there, motionless, emotionless, and felt herself sighing once again when she couldn't get a handle on him.

 _'Clarke was right... his eyes are small...'_ Lexa thought to herself.

"Don't play with me, King," Ryder warned as he lowered himself into the chair opposite of the restrained man. "We both know where you were, so why don't we just take a breath and do this the easy way."

Suddenly Lexa remembered the criminal record that Ryder had given her when he met her at the front of the station earlier and realized she had yet to look it over. She read it quickly, skimming the more important details to hopefully get a better read on him.

 **Name: Roan King**

 **Age: 35**

 **Sex: Male**

 **Height: 6'0''**

 **Weight: 205**

 **Crimes Convicted: Larceny (2), Vandalism (1), Disorderly Conduct (2), Resisting Arrest (1), Criminal Trespass (4), Aggravated Burglary (1), Breaking and Entering (1), Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud (1), Conspiracy to Defraud (1).**

Many of the crimes listed were noted as being committed before the man was of legal age, and it almost seemed to Lexa like his crimes had been maturing as he aged as if he was getting smarter or at least trying to get out of committing some of the more low-level crimes. Lexa quickly realized that if he were to be convicted of both the first degree burglary and attempted murder charges that he could be facing life in prison.

"How do you know Eva Porter?" Ryder asks.

"Who says I do?" The man rebuffed.

"It would certainly fair better for you if you did," Ryder explained. "Maybe you should explain to me how you know her."

The man simply blinked and sat back in his chair, tipping his head down and spilling his hair back over the shoulder he had just flipped it over earlier. Ryder also sat back in his chair and crossed his arms as he looked over at the man opposite him for a few silent moments before speaking again.

"Where were you that night?" Ryder asked, referencing the night he broke into Clarke's apartment.

"What do you want me to say, man?"

Ryder shot up from his chair and slammed his hands hard onto the metal table, making both the handcuffed man and Lexa jump in surprise.

"You may address me as Detective," Ryder snapped. "I'm not your friend."

Roan glared at Ryder, clenching his jaw tightly, but didn't speak.

"Now, what I do want you to tell me is where you were that night," Ryder repeated himself from earlier.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Roan said dismissively.

Ryder sighed and crossed his arms before looking intensely at Roan for long silent seconds before turning on his heels and walking out of the interrogation room. It was a tactic, and Lexa knew it. Ryder had left Roan alone so he could think about whatever it was that was going on in his head in the hopes that either his guilt would get to him or his anxiety would. As Ryder rounded the corner to join Lexa in the viewing room, a lab tech came into the room from the other door on the opposite wall. He handed Ryder a thin folder, presumably with the DNA test results inside, and Ryder took it appreciatively. About five minutes had passed while they stood in the viewing room, studying Roan's every move. The second they both witnessed Roan life a finger to his brow and flick a bead of sweat off his forehead, Ryder made a move to go back into the interrogation room.

"DNA," Ryder announced as he waved the folder in front of Roan's face, "ever heard of it?"

Roan offered a disgusted snort as if to say that of course he had heard of it and only those who haven't are fools or haven't seen a decent crime scene investigation drama in their lifetime. Ryder lifted his eyebrows as he waited for a more verbal confirmation, and Roan finally spoke up.

"Of course," he said in a gruff tone. "Do you think I'm some kind of idiot?"

"Actually, yeah," Ryder said in all honesty as he hovered behind the restrained man. "I kind of do. See, this little paper here says that your slobber was all over a beer bottle you took from a young woman's apartment you broke into."

Roan's eyes squinted and his jaw clenched, and Lexa was riveted to the floor as she watched him finally yet very subtly reacting.

"It also says you were in another apartment on that night you couldn't recall," Ryder continued, "and your DNA was found under the fingernails of the woman you tried to kill."

" _I did_ _ **not**_ _try to kill her_!" Roan roared from his chair.

Lexa's heart shot up in her chest as she heard the angry confession, and Ryder glanced into the reflective side of the mirror to wordlessly let Lexa know he was about to break the man once and for all. Ryder stepped up alongside the man in handcuffs and laid the palm of his hand flat on the table so that he was hunched over Roan, breathing down his neck.

"You didn't?" He asked innocently. "Her trip to the emergency room that night said otherwise."

The once relaxed fingers were now curled into tight fists in Roan's lap, and his chest began heaving with every ragged breath he took into his lungs. Lexa could tell that the DNA evidence had gotten to him, and he knew he was being quickly backed into a corner. Roan glared up at the detective who had continued speaking.

"How do you know Eva Porter?" Ryder asked again.

Roan's nostrils flared but he still said nothing, and Lexa wondered if it seemed as if the man was silently weighing his options before giving himself up any more than he already had.

"Listen, King," Ryder began as he leaned in closer toward Roan's ear, "if you don't tell me... what we both already know... then you're going to be charged with and convicted of attempted murder... and locked away for the rest of your miserable life. How do you know Eva Porter?"

Roan looked up at Ryder with his jaw still clenched. He had offered a chance, though Ryder hadn't come out and said it, for Roan to acknowledge his connection to Eva and possibly strike a deal for a less severe charge. Ryder continued to stand his ground until Roan spoke.

"I'm not about to go to prison for attempted murder," he rasped as his nostrils flared with rage, "not in this lifetime."

"How do you know Eva Porter?" Ryder echoed himself.

"Drop the attempted murder charge, and I'll talk," Roan demanded.

"How do you know Eva Porter?" Ryder said one final time as he leaned himself to rest just inches away from Roan's face.

After a few poignant seconds of silence and an intense stare-down between the restrained man and the detective, Roan turned his head away from the detective's and spoke.

"She hired me," he confessed.

A small gasp hitched in Lexa's throat, and she held her breath in her chest as Ryder rounded the table and sat down in his chair.

"I have no idea how she found me, but she did," Roan continued. "She offered me a ridiculous amount of money to break into a couple of apartments in search of 'personal property' as she called it, but it sounded a whole lot like blackmail material she was desperate to get back."

"How much money did she offer you?" Ryder asked as he wrote down a few notes.

"Ridiculous money," Roan repeated himself. "The kind of money not even a crazy man would turn down."

"So I guess that doesn't make you crazy then?" Ryder asked partly in jest and partly to keep the conversation going now that it had started.

"No," Roan answered, "it makes me rich."

"So that's it?" Ryder questioned further. "You did for the money?"

"Oldest story in the book," Roan quipped with a straight face.

"And what good was all that money going to do you in prison?" Ryder wanted to know.

"A lot of good," Roan replied, "because I wasn't going to get caught."

"Well, maybe you should remember that the next time you get thirsty on the job," Ryder pointed out.

Roan said nothing but threw the detective a menacing glare from across the table.

"So what about the girl?" Ryder pressed. "Why did you try to kill her?"

"I _didn't_ try to kill her," Roan replied through his teeth.

Obviously the insinuation that was trying to murder someone was striking a nerve with the man, so Ryder had made sure to strike it again and again.

"Then tell me what happened," Ryder said before opening one of his case folders again.

He thumbed through the papers until he found a few pictures and snatched them out of the folder. He placed one on the cool surface of the metal table, flipping it around so Roan could see it right-side-up, before sliding over to his side of the table. Roan's gaze immediately locked onto the picture which showed a close up view of Clarke's right ankle and foot, severely twisted and obviously broken. Ryder did the same with a second picture, eventually sliding it down to lie alongside the first picture.

This time the picture showed a modestly censored view of Clarke's rib cage and stomach, angry red blemishes standing out in sharp contrast to her creamy white skin. Roan swallowed as he watched the detective slide the final image over towards him, a clear picture of Clarke's face and the large swollen bruise decorating her left cheekbone. Roan's own eyes almost filled with tears as he looked down at the pained blue eyes staring back at him, blonde curly hair framing an almost familiar looking face.

"Her name is Clarke Griffin," Ryder said as he tore Roan from his thoughts. "She's a doctor. A surgeon. A brilliant woman in her young age with an even brighter future ahead of her."

Ryder paused for effect as he allowed Roan to process.

"So why would you try to kill her?"

"I didn't," Roan said quietly, almost mumbling.

"You know... she looks a lot like you own daughter, don't you think?" Ryder dared to say, and Roan whipped his head up to meet the other man's gaze with an expression of white hot rage pouring from his eyes. "An older version, of course, which makes me wonder how you could have even thought about hurting her."

Roan was breathing heavily at this point, doing everything in his power not to leap across the table and strangle the detective who had dared to refer to his own daughter during the interrogation. His anger was smoldering, and hit a breaking point as Ryder asked the question again.

"So why _did_ you try to kill her?"

" **I DID NOT TRY TO KILL HER**!" Roan yelled at the top of his lungs. "The apartment was supposed to be empty! She was supposed to be gone that night! She saw my face, so I rushed her... took her to the floor and knocked her out... but I did _not try to kill her_."

A tear slipped from Lexa's eye and rolled down her cheek as she stood watching and listening in silence. Haunting images of Clarke being attacked by this enormous man invaded her mind, and she cursed herself for not being there to help. She cursed that fate had happened this way, that the woman she loved had been brutally assaulted and there was nothing she could have done about it. More than anything though, Lexa began to seethe with fury as thoughts of the one person who had brought all of this into their lives invaded every corner of her mind, body, and soul. Eva Porter was at the end of her rope, and Lexa Woods would make sure she was the one to tug the end away from her even if she had to die trying.

"I want a deal," Roan snapped as he tried to regulate his erratic breathing. "Drop the attempted murder charges, and I'll sing like a bird."

Ryder leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. After thinking for a few seconds, he shook his head in disagreement. After everything Roan had already confessed to and with the DNA evidence that could be used against him, Ryder knew he didn't even need more of a confession from the man. Cutting a deal to drop charges wasn't something that could be done at the drop of a hat, especially if there was little benefit to the department or the strength of the case overall.

"I can't do that," Ryder finally told him.

"I can't go to prison for the rest of my life," Roan retorted. "I can't do it... I can't leave her..."

Everyone listening knew Roan was referring to his own daughter, and the weight of Roan's plea hung in the air as Ryder filtered through his options of response in his mind. He wanted to tell Roan off, scold him for making stupid life decisions and not taking his daughter into consideration when acting those decisions out, but he held his tongue. It wasn't the time or the place to engage in that conversation, so Ryder kept to the subject at hand.

"Testify," Ryder finally said. "Testify against Eva Porter, and I'll see what I can do to have the attempted murder charge dropped to an aggravated assault charge. You'll be looking at a maximum of 20 years instead of a minimum of life."

Another emotionally-charged few seconds passed before Roan barely nodded his head once in agreement. Ryder scooped up his files from the table, snapping their spines against the metal before turning to walk out of the room. He purposefully left the images of Clarke's injuries displayed on the table for Roan to look at as he wallowed in guilt over what he had done. Lexa quickly wiped at her eyes as Ryder stepped out of the interrogation room and back into the viewing room.

"We got him," he said with a small smirk.

Lexa didn't respond immediately only to wrap her arms around Ryder's broad shoulders and pull him into a tight hug. He responded quickly and returned the embrace for a few seconds before Lexa pushed herself back and looked up at him.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," Ryder replied, "but it's not over yet."

Lexa nodded in understanding and straightened her blouse. She looked back towards the two-way mirror and sighed as she watched the man who had attacked Clarke situate himself sideways in his chair as if to turn himself away from the pictures still lying on the cold metal surface of the table in the middle of the room. She let her eyes dance over the man's face and down his neck, noting the tips of three faded scratches peeking up from just under the top of his collar and knew without a shadow of a doubt that Clarke had put up a stronger fight than she probably realized.

* * *

"I can't believe how stupid criminals are sometimes," Clarke said as she was being pushed down the sidewalk in the wheelchair the hospital had loaned to her during her recovery. They were chatting about the case, and Lexa had finally finished telling Clarke about the details of the interrogation.

"I know," Lexa replied from behind the blonde. "I think he was trying to be smart by throwing away the beer bottle in the dumpster, but obviously the smarter thing would have been not to drink it in the first place."

"Yeah, but good thing for us that he did," Clarke replied.

Lexa agreed and turned around the last corner before the hospital came into view a short distance down the street. The rest of the walk didn't take but a few minutes before Lexa was pushing Clarke through the front doors and towards the elevators. Clarke exchanged a few pleasantries along the way as her fellow co-workers stopped to ask how she was feeling and wish her a quick recovery, and they ended up walking into the small examining room set aside for them a bit later than they had anticipated. Abby teased them about whether they were kissing in the elevator, implying that was the reason they were tardy to their appointment, but Clarke denied the implication while Lexa laughed dismissively as she reached for her phone to turn it off after glancing at a sign on the wall requesting patients and visitors to do so.

"So how are you feeling?" Abby started with a generic question as she sat down on a small stool in front of Clarke.

"Better each day," Clarke replied honestly. Her ankle was a long way from healing completely, and her ribs were still tender when she twisted or inhaled too deeply but she could tell that she was making progress.

"How's your pain?" Abby asked as she began to unwrap the gauze around Clarke's ankle.

"Without pain medication," Clarke explained, "my ankle is about a four and my ribs are about a five."

"So, seven and eight," Abby clarified, knowing that her daughter was rating her pain lower than it probably was.

Clarke simply rolled her eyes and let a small sigh push through her nose. Lexa had taken a seat along the far side of the wall behind Abby but in direct line of sight to Clarke. The blonde shot her a look and shook her head lightly as if to say 'my mom is exaggerating'. Lexa tilted her head as she thought about whether she believed Clarke's rating system or Abby's before the older woman was speaking again.

"Don't pay attention to her," Abby told Lexa without so much as looking up from what she was doing with Clarke's ankle. "She's always trying to act tough, but on the inside she's hurting."

Both Lexa and Clarke's gazes softened as they took in Abby's words for more than their surface value. After everything that had happened to them over the past couple of weeks, the saying held true for both of them.

"Pretty sure this wasn't scheduled as a social call," Clarke interjects, "so how about less talking and more examining?"

"Hush," Abby scolded Clarke as she leaned to get a closer look of the slightly discolored and still swollen ankle that had just been revealed to her. "This looks good, but I'll have ortho come in and confirm before they get started on your cast."

The older doctor tenderly wrapped the broken ankle again before ushering Clarke to lie down on the examining table. She lifted Clarke's shirt to inspect her bruises, placing her hands lightly around Clarke's torso as she felt for anything out of the ordinary. After a quick pass over Clarke's stomach to check for any abnormalities in her organs, Abby helped Clarke back up into a sitting position before checking her breathing and asking how her cheekbone felt. Luckily that hadn't been broken during the assault, but one of the original scans Abby had ordered for her daughter had showed that the bone was bruised and would need time to heal before there was no longer any pain.

"Alright, you two," Abby said as she wheeled her stool back over to the computer desk in the corner of the room, "I will page ortho to do their thing and come back after to say goodbye."

"Thanks, Mom," Clarke said with a small smile as her mother stood up and made her way to the door.

"Thank you, Abby," Lexa added, to which Abby simply smiled in return.

"So do we all get to sign your cast?" Lexa asked as she stood and walked over towards Clarke.

" _You_ can," Clarke replied immediately, "though I'm not sure if I should let Raven or Octavia... they would probably end up drawing a highly offensive male body part on it or something."

Lexa laughed and reached out for Clarke's hand to squeeze it gently.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Lexa agreed.

"Actually," Clarke started, "I was thinking about drawing some type of scene on it. So it doesn't look so plain."

"Sounds like a good idea," Lexa offered. "Speaking of drawing, or art in general I guess, I noticed you started a painting."

"Yeah," Clarke replied softly as she turned her gaze away. "I was going to surprise you with it when you came back from DC, but... things... kind of got away from me."

Lexa nodded in understanding when Clarke finally looked back at her, and Lexa gave the hand under hers a small squeeze.

"Maybe when I'm feeling back to normal I can continue working on it," Clarke offered quietly.

"I don't mind waiting," Lexa told her with a small encouraging smile which Clarke mimicked before there was a small knock on the door.

"Dr. Griffin," the orthopedic technician greeted as she stepped into the room.

Lexa lifted her hand from Clarke's and put a few feet of distance between them, knowing that the woman would need some room to be able to examine Clarke's ankle.

"Hey, Maya," Clarke replied. "This is my girlfriend, Lexa."

"It's nice to meet you, Lexa," Maya said with a smile as she extended her hand which Lexa shook immediately. "So, are you ready for your cast?"

"As long as you give my ankle a thumbs up, I'm ready," Clarke replied with a polite smile.

Maya smiled in response and quickly got to work unbinding the ankle in question. She examined it thoroughly as Lexa watched on from her standing position a few feet away. Clarke caught her girlfriend's gaze and gestured her head to the side a few times as if telling Lexa to come closer, and Lexa almost started laughing but simply moved herself closer to Clarke's side as she had been invited to do. She rested her back up against the exam bed, bringing her hands up to grip the edge before she felt Clarke's hand slip over hers. They intertwined their fingers immediately and just looked at each other for a few moments, enjoying simply being close and being together.

"Your ankle looks good to me," Maya said as she leaned back on her stool.

"Great," Clarke said, knowing that the faster she gets a cast on the faster her ankle can heal.

"So," Maya started, "what color do you want for your cast?"

"What do you think?" Clarke deferred to Lexa, as she hadn't really thought about it. Lexa looked back at her intently as her eyes flicked between Clarke's a few times before she spoke.

"What about blue," Lexa offered softly, "to match your eyes?"

Clarke smiled and her heart flipped in her chest. How was it that this woman, her best friend, her girlfriend, the woman she'd grown to love more than anything else in the world, could make her heart stutter with just the mere mention of a color? A simple color suggested held so much more meaning behind it than its actual shade, and it warmed the very core of Clarke's heart as she felt herself smiling wider and wider with each silent second that passed. Finally she broke her stare and looked over at Maya.

"I'd like green," Clarke answered.

This time it was Lexa's heart that did the flipping.

* * *

"I just secured Alpha," Monty said into his headset as he tapped various buttons on the gaming controller in his hands. "Where are you at?"

"Going for Charlie," Aden chimed in, "but that sniper re-spawned on my side of the map, so I might not be able to lock it down."

The two were sitting in their apartment playing a fifth round of their favorite first player shooter and waiting for another one of their friends to show up and join them. Monty had been wanting to coordinate a gaming night since the last one they'd had a few weeks back, complaining that he was barely able to fit in much quality time with his console between the hectic schedule that came with the two jobs he had. Aden had made a few friends online through the years he had been gaming, as had Monty, and whenever everyone's schedules worked out they would reserve several hours in their evenings to come together either in person or online to engage in a friendly battle with strangers from around the globe.

"Crap, my COM unit is down," Monty said as he flung the joystick on his controller around hastily. "I'm taking fire from–"

"Shit!" Aden interrupted. "Wait, I see you... grenade, grenade... head back to the wharf..."

The two rattled their controllers noisily as they tried to find cover from enemy fire but were unable to get the team together before the timer on their game had run out. They voiced their disappointment over losing the match and began brainstorming on how to change their strategy for next time. A loud knock sounded beside them, and Monty quickly took off his headset and walked over towards their front door.

"Finally," Monty said as he swung the door open to reveal his very late, and apparently tipsy, friend. "Andrew? Are you already drunk?"

"Hell yeah, I'm already drunk!" He exclaimed before stepping through the doorway.

"How are you going to play?" Monty asked honestly as he closed the door behind him.

"Oh, I'm going to play," he started, "and I'm going to _dominate_ because I'm... that... fucking... good."

"I would have to challenge that statement," Aden called from his seat in front of the TV.

"You would, lawyer boy," Andrew joked as he sat down on the couch and placed his six pack of beer on the table next to him.

"Don't be salty with me about my job just because you hate yours," Aden replied curtly.

"I _do_ fucking hate my job," Andrew said as if he was having an epiphany. "Especially since my sister started going bat shit crazy around the office since she got back into town."

"What do you mean?" Monty questioned as he stepped up towards the couch.

"She's fucking crazy, dude!" He exclaimed as he pointed to his own head. "She's like... so paranoid... after finding out about the security breech that I caused..."

"Paranoid?" Aden asked as he shot Monty a look.

"Yeah," he said as he grabbed for a beer. "She cleared out her office... she took my computer away... she had the IT guys rip out a bunch of hard drives or some shit... like... ramp up security instead of throwing everything away, right?"

Monty and Aden started at each other for a few beats, the prospect of their gaming night long forgotten, and they turned their attention back to their blissfully buzzed friend who was sipping on his beer as he contentedly complained about how big of a nut case his older sister was.

"She told someone to remove hard drives?" Monty asked.

"Pretty sure I overheard her say hard drives," Andrew replied as he nodded. "She took away my security clearance at the office. I'm so royally fucked, you guys."

Although Aden felt sorry for his roommate's troubled friend, he was more worried above all else that Eva was already making moves to destroy the evidence that he knew the police and ultimately Bellamy needed in order to make their case against the Porter Holdings Group company. Furthermore, Aden knew Lexa had stepped in and involved herself in the case and he would be damned if she didn't get the closure he'd so foolishly attempted and failed to get for her.

"I have to call Lexa," Aden said to Monty as he reached for the cell phone in his pocket. "If Eva is destroying the hard drives, Bellamy will have no way of getting his hands on the evidence he needs for his case."

Monty nodded in agreement and ran a hand through his hair, and suddenly his face turned white as a ghost.

"What?" Aden asked carefully.

"Shit," Monty cursed under his breath, "oh... shit..."

"What, Monty?" Aden asked again.

"Okay, I may not have told you something really important when I hacked into the drives before," Monty finally said.

"I'm listening," Aden said as he grit his teeth in anxiety.

"When I was breaking down the encryption, I found a trigger code," he explained. "It's like a self-destruct switch. If you don't know how to navigate around it, one wrong keystroke and there goes the entire drive."

"What do you mean?" Aden asked. "It gets erased?"

"Wiped clean," Monty replied. "I researched that trigger code for like a week after I hacked in and found some bits and pieces of information about it, but it's one of the highest level matrices I have ever seen. The minute a local police department's computer forensics guy tries to read it, it'll be gone. It's _way_ too advanced."

Aden sighed but nodded in understanding and quickly found Lexa's name in his directory and hit the call button. The ringing that would usually sound on the other end of the line never came, and Aden's call went straight to Lexa's voicemail. He ended the call and re-dialed, hoping it was just bad service, but again the call jumped straight to her voicemail. Aden huffed out a breath before thumbing his way down his call log to Bellamy's name and tried calling him.

"Dammit!" Aden cursed as he ended that call as well. "No one is answering their phones."

He quickly dialed Lexa's number again, intending to leave a message if she didn't answer again.

"Lexa, it's Aden," he said into the phone. "Call me right away when you get this. I have news about the Porter case."

"Do you know anyone else Lexa or Bellamy were working with?" Monty asked eagerly, and Aden thought for a moment.

"Bellamy told me that Lexa was working with a detective at the local police department," Aden said as he shot his index finger out towards Monty.

All Monty did was nod, and Aden pulled up the internet browser on his phone to look up the phone number for the police department. He quickly memorized the number and punched it into his phone before hitting the call button and waiting for someone on the other line to answer. When a voice came over the other line, Aden sighed in relief.

"Hi, my name is Aden Tate," he began, "and I'm looking for the detective who is working on the Griffin case."

"I'm sorry?"

"Look, I don't know his name... or her name..." Aden stuttered, "but I have some urgent news that could prove to be disastrous to the case if I'm not able to speak to the detective handing it immediately."

The officer on the other end of the line was silent for a few moments as Aden heard her clicking on a keyboard. She asked him to hold, which he willingly did in hopes of finally getting into contact with the detective Lexa had been working with. After about a minute or two, the line clicked back on and he heard the officer speaking.

"I'm sorry, but the detective handing the Griffin case is on site," she said. "I don't expect him back at the department until tomorrow."

Aden's heart fell.

"Alright," he replied in a defeated tone, "thank you."

"He's on site," Aden repeated to Monty.

"What does that mean?" Monty asked honestly.

Aden stopped to think and immediately a realization dawned on him. He whipped his head over to where Andrew was still sitting on the couch and sipping his beer.

"Where does your sister live?" He asked.

"Why," Andrew inquired, "looking to get lucky?"

"No," Aden answered firmly, "just tell me where she lives... it's important."

"Fine, keep you panties on," he finally huffed. "She lives in the penthouse apartment in the 5th Avenue Tower."

Aden and Monty gave themselves only a couple of seconds to gape at their friend, knowing immediately how insane the amount of money she must have spent to occupy the only penthouse apartment in one of the most famous buildings downtown. Aden muttered his thanks, and he walked over to grab his wallet from the kitchen counter before turning to Monty.

"He's on site," Aden said as he referred to the detective, "meaning he might be searching her apartment right now, where it's most likely she is keeping the hard drives until she can figure out how to properly dispose of them."

Monty's eyebrows shot up and he reached for his own wallet and his motorcycle helmet. He grabbed his keys and opened the apartment door.

"I'll take you on my bike," Monty said, "it will be faster, and I'm positive you'll need my genius if you actually turn out to be right."

Aden rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement before quickly following him out of their apartment, leaving their friend alone on the couch with his beer.

"Hey!" Andrew called out as the door slammed shut. "What the hell, guys!"

* * *

"Look, my name is Aden Tate," Aden said quickly as he was being held back by one of the officers on site, "and I just need to talk to whoever is in charge of this case."

Aden's heart had been pounding since he and Monty had pulled up to the historic apartment building and had immediately noticed several marked squad cars as well as a couple of unmarked ones. He knew his hunch had been right about the search warrant, but what he didn't know was whether the encrypted hard drives that the police department and Bellamy were after were actually in her apartment. Good luck had carried him this far, and he was hoping he would be able to ride the wave a bit longer.

"Listen, kid," the officer started with an annoyed expression on his face, "I don't care what your name is. You can't be on the scene while we're executing a search warrant."

"Just... can you just tell them that I work with Lexa Woods?" Aden asked.

Ryder, who happened to be standing by the doorway of the apartment, overheard a name he was more than familiar with and looked into the hallway at Aden who was straining to see past the police officer standing in his path. He lowered his clipboard and walked out of the apartment before stepping up behind the officer and speaking slowly.

"You must be the assistant," Ryder said as he eyed the man a couple decades his junior.

"Yes," Aden answered, "and I know my reputation proceeds me, but my friend here is probably the only person within a thousand mile radius who knows how to navigate the trigger codes embedded into the hard drives you're looking for."

The officer who was standing in front of Aden looked back at Ryder, shooting him a thoroughly confused look as to why this stranger knows so much about the case, but the detective simply waived him off before looking back to Aden and Monty. He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the young men and barely heard one of his fellow police officers shout from the room that they had found something. Just before the officer came walking out of the apartment with hard drives in each of his hands, Monty's eyes widened as they flicked from the officer to the doorway and back to the officer again.

" **WAIT**!"

Everyone within Monty's immediate ear shot froze and looked at him with everything from confused to shocked to annoyed expressions on their faces. He said nothing more at first but quickly approached the doorway and lifted his hand to run over what looked like a solid metal door frame before flicking his thumbnail against the open corner of the frame. They all watched on as Monty took off a ring he was wearing, slapped it to the door frame, and it stuck in place to everyone's shock and confusion. Ryder furrowed his brow and walked towards Monty, watching as the young man stuck the same ring on the opposite side of the door frame, and wordlessly demanded an explanation.

"Magnets," Monty explained. "They would have corrupted the drives the second they passed in between them."

Eva's people apparently thought of everything, right down to a final line of defense in case the police were able to seize the hard drives before they were able to dispose of them.

Ryder looked back to Aden who flashed him a respectful 'I told you so' look. The detective told the officer guarding the door to allow Monty and Aden inside before instructing both of the young men to keep their hands to themselves so that they didn't disrupt anything in the room. They hastily voiced their agreement and made their way inside slowly, their minds in awe of the immensity and luxuriousness of the apartment as they tried to take everything in all at once.

The apartment was furnished with what could be immediately spotted as expensive custom made items from the long Mulberry silk curtains adorning the windows to the hand carved bar tucked against the far wall of the living room to the overstuffed Cabriole sofas perfectly positioned on either side of the grandest fireplace Aden had ever seen in his life. The mantle came up to his shoulder and was another obviously hand carved piece that accented the rest of the room flawlessly. By the look of everything in the expansive room, Eva had probably spent just as much furnishing her apartment as she had spent to purchase it.

As Aden made his way into the dining room behind Ryder, he nearly fainted when he caught the gaze of Eva Porter herself who was standing with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a folded up search warrant in her hand. If looks could kill, then Aden was sure he'd be dead because the daggers she was sending him with her stare were viscous. He swallowed roughly and continued to the far side of the dining room before coming to a stop behind Ryder.

"Let's clear the room, guys," Ryder instructed, and the police officers made quick work of ushering Eva outside of her apartment while most of them also stayed behind.

Aden kept his eyes on Eva as she slowly walked out of his sight, but he did manage to catch sight of her snagging her phone from the kitchen counter before stepping out into the hallway. He had a clear view of her from where he was standing in the dining room, and he could almost feel her eyes piercing into him even with the distance between them. He shook his head lightly, determined not to let the woman rattle him as she had so often in the past, and settled his attention back onto Monty and Ryder.

"So let me guess," Ryder started as he looked to Monty, "you're the boy wonder who hacked into the hard drives in the first place."

"I'll take boy wonder," Monty replied as he lifted his eyebrows approvingly.

"So why don't you walk me through this," Ryder stated. "Should we take off the door to bring the drives back to the station, or are you more comfortable working on the decryption here on site?"

"I don't have a preference really," Monty replied honestly, "but I would like to take a quick look at the files before we plan on taking them anywhere. Your officer got close to those magnets, so there's a chance they've already been corrupted."

"What do you need?" Ryder asked.

"A laptop and a SATA cable," Monty said as he flexed his fingers to crack his knuckles.

Ryder looked at him blankly, knowing he didn't have at least one of those items and didn't know what the other item was altogether. He opened his mouth to respond, but Monty interrupted him.

"Thankfully I have both," he said as he slipped his backpack from his shoulders. "Computer geeks always come prepared."

Aden and Ryder shared a look as Monty quickly set up a small work station on the dining room table, hooking up both hard drives to his laptop, and it wasn't before long that he was furiously typing on his keyboard what looked like an alien language to both of the men looking over his shoulder. He was clearly in the zone as he navigated around the hard drives, and nodded his head every time he saw a folder that hadn't been compromised. But suddenly he froze as a small black command box expanded in the upper left corner of the screen.

"Oh, shit..."

"What's wrong?" Ryder demanded as his stance changed and he hovered over Monty to try and see what was happening on the screen.

"Someone tapped in remotely the minute I connected the hard drives and initiated the trigger code," Monty explained as quickly as possible.

"What does that mean?" Ryder pressed, getting more agitated as Monty's demeanor became more anxious by the second.

"It means that I have forty seconds to break through the firewall protecting the trigger code so that I can kill the process before it wipes everything off both of the drives," Monty said while he began furiously typing once again.

Aden chanced a glance up towards the front door of the apartment just in time to see Eva wink at him from the hallway and slip her phone into her back pocket. His heart hammered in his chest as he realized Eva had either made a call or sent a text message to someone who was able to initiate the trigger code, but he kept his mouth shut. Monty had... 34 seconds before the evidence they had been fighting so fiercely to get in order to not only take down Eva Porter and her crooked family business once and for all but also to bring justice and closure to what happened to Clarke the night of her assault.

 **28 seconds...**

The sound of Monty's clicking against the keyboard filled everyone's ears as precious seconds slipped away.

 **20 seconds...**

Ryder shifted on his feet, nervously eyeing the laptop screen as lines of code were typed in only to be followed by more lines and more lines.

 **11 seconds...**

Time dwindled down, and Monty found himself frozen unable to move his fingers as they hovered over the keys. His hands shook as he swallowed harshly, and a small bead of sweat slid past his temple.

 **8 seconds...**

Aden's nervous gaze flicked from his friend to the laptop and back to his friend while a deafening silence filled the room.

 **7 seconds...**

Monty's mind raced as he wordlessly filtered through every piece of knowledge in his brain that would help him figure out the correct sequence of commands to stop the countdown. His fingers began flying across the keys, angrily hitting the backspace button each time the wrong key was pressed due to the panic from his mind finding its way through his body and out his fingertips.

 **3 seconds...**

Aden's eyes widened as he watched the pixelated number nearing zero and abandoning all pretenses of breathing.

 **2 seconds...**

Time seemed suspended in the thick air around them as Monty keyed in the last line of code and hit the enter button with conviction as he sat frozen in his chair until the very last second had passed.

 **1 second...**

* * *

 **The return of the cliffhanger! I couldn't resist it this time... thought about it... but couldn't resist it. I hope you all don't hate me too much for it. Also, Roan makes an appearance! And Maya too! I was happy to be able to fit her in, even though she has just a tiny part in the story. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts :)**

 **I treasure your comments and always take the time to respond to each of you, so if you feel like sharing something about the story, the current chapter, want to ask a question, or all of the above... you are more than welcome to do that below! Thank you as always for reading.**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	22. Chapter 22

**_7 seconds..._**

 _Monty's mind raced as he wordlessly filtered through every piece of knowledge in his brain that would help him figure out the correct sequence of commands to stop the countdown. His fingers began flying across the keys, angrily hitting the backspace button each time the wrong key was pressed due to the panic from his mind finding its way through his body and out his fingertips._

 ** _3 seconds..._**

 _Aden's eyes widened as he watched the pixelated number nearing zero and abandoning all pretenses of breathing._

 ** _2 seconds..._**

 _Time seemed suspended in the thick air around them as Monty keyed in the last line of code and hit the enter button with conviction as he sat frozen in his chair until the very last second had passed._

 ** _1 second..._**

 ** _{cmnd/terminated.}_**

 _"YES!" Monty exclaimed as he brought his arm down quickly in a fist pump action._

 _Ryder and Aden tipped their heads back and each let out a sigh of relief. Monty made quick work of checking and double checking that all of the folders they needed were still intact, and he confirmed that nothing had been lost or corrupted. Aden slipped a hand through his hair and caught the eye of Eva again, who was definitely no longer winking but looked to be only a few seconds away from being sick to her stomach._

 _"I_ _ **really am**_ _a boy wonder," Monty complimented himself as he nodded in agreement._

 _"What I don't understand is why the drives weren't just wiped with the trigger code from the very beginning," Ryder wondered out loud._

 _"Serial numbers," Monty explained as he held up one of the drives and pointed it towards the detective. "You can erase data easily with the right code, but disposing of electronic evidence and physical evidence are two very different stories."_

 _"Most likely she had her people remove the hard drives from the company office and kept them here while she found someone she trusted to dispose of them properly," Aden added. "I'd also have to guess that for a family who kept ten years of incriminating evidence lying around their computer hard drives, encrypted or not, they probably wouldn't realize they needed to get rid of it as soon as possible."_

 _"Plus, she had the magnets installed," Monty said. "They probably gave her peace of mind... which is especially foolish with boy wonder around."_

 _"How many time am I going to have to hear that nickname before I punch you?" Aden asked his roommate._

 _"You heard that, right Detective?" Monty asked over his shoulder. "Detective?"_

 _Ryder just walked away, shaking his head, and instructed his people to start dismantling the magnetic door frame so that it wouldn't interfere with the integrity of the hard drives when the removed them from the apartment to bring them back to the station for further analysis. Monty volunteered his services to help decrypt the files and create a (legal) backup of everything on the drives for later use in court. Ryder gratefully accepted the offer, and the two made a plan to meet up at the police station later in the week._

"Hello?" Aden answered his phone quickly after he felt it vibrating in his pocket.

 _"Aden? It's Lexa... I just got your message... I was at the hospital with Clarke."_

"Is everything okay?" Aden asked, suddenly worried that something bad had happened to his boss's already injured girlfriend.

 _"Yes, she was just getting the cast on her ankle put on. So what is this news about the Porter case you mentioned?"_

"Well, it's kind of a long story," Aden said as he took a deep breath and remembered everything that had happened over the last couple of hours, "but my roommate–"

"Boy wonder!" Monty shouted into the phone.

"My _roommate_ ," Aden repeated as his eyes widened in embarrassment that Monty had just shouted what he had into his phone, "came to the rescue and we ended up saving the hard drives from being corrupted. We're actually just leaving Eva's apartment now."

 _"You're at Eva Porter's apartment?"_

"Yeah," Aden answered, "again it's a long story but we figured out that the police were searching her apartment, and we came over to make sure the hard drives weren't booby-trapped in some way, which they were, but Monty was able to work his magic and preserve the evidence."

 _"And you cleared all of this with Ryder?"_

"Yeah, of course," Aden replied. "He was here the entire time with us."

 _"Aden... I'm... I'm really proud of you. It sounds like you saved the case. Thank you."_

"What are assistants for?" Aden said with a beaming smile after hearing Lexa tell him that she was proud of him.

 _"You and I will need to have a longer conversation at some point in the near future, but I'll call you later and we can set something up."_

"Sure," Aden said. "Have a good night and say hello to Clarke for me."

 _"I will. Bye, Aden."_

Aden bid his goodbye and ended the call before quickly slipping his phone back into his pocket. He let out a cleansing sigh, happy for the drama of the night to be finally over and dealt with, and snapped his passenger helmet into place before hopping onto the back of Monty's motorcycle behind him.

"Alright," Aden said over the loud revving sound of the bike, "let's get out of here... boy wonder."

" _Yes_!" Monty exclaimed excitedly. "I knew that nickname would catch on!"

* * *

 _"Hey, blondie! How are you feeling?"_

Lexa rolled her eyes at the mention of Anya's nickname for her girlfriend. She and Clarke were sitting on the couch with Lexa's laptop between them as they video chatted with Anya who was still overseas. Lexa had called her a few days after Clarke's attack just to let her know what was going on, but Anya hadn't been able to actually speak to Clarke about anything since her opportunities to call home or to accept a call from home were few and far between while she remained on duty.

"I'm feeling alright," Clarke answered honestly. "I'm in a bit of pain, but it's to be expected."

 _"And Lex is taking good care of you?"_

"Oh yeah," Clarke said as she nodded, "in more ways than one."

Lexa blushed furiously at the innuendo, knowing immediately that it was unintentional since she had only been on the receiving end of one intimate moment once since she'd been staying with Clarke. It had managed to take the edge off for Lexa for just a while, but they were still both quite high strung as they impatiently waited for Clarke's injuries, especially her ribs, to heal enough so that she wasn't in pain each time her breathing got heavier the more heated their kisses and caresses became.

 _"I really don't need to hear that details on that..."_

"Oh, no!" Clarke shouted, suddenly realizing how what she had just said must have sounded. "I didn't mean it like that... I meant that Lexa is not only helping me around my apartment but she's also helping with my case... against my attacker and Eva..."

 _"Wait, who? That crazy-ass client of Lexa's?"_

"Yeah," Lexa chimed in. "She was responsible for Clarke's assault."

 _"Are you kidding?"_

"Nope," Lexa confirmed. "She hired someone to break into my apartment and Clarke's apartment to look for blackmail she thought we had on her, and Clarke was home when she wasn't supposed to be and one of the guys freaked out and attacked her because she saw his face."

 _"Holy shit... she sounds like an absolute nut case..."_

"You have no idea," Lexa said as she rolled her eyes.

She and Clarke spent the next ten minutes explaining how everything had come to this point. Lexa told her how Aden had teamed up with his roommate to dig up dirt on Eva and her family's company to use it against her after feeling protective over Lexa with how Eva had been treating her. She told her how DNA evidence had linked the break-ins and lead police to the man who had attacked Clarke, the same man who Eva had hired to burglarize their homes, and how incriminating evidence had been found at Eva's apartment that could lead to not only her arrest but the possibility that she and her entire family might be hauled off to prison for the rest of their lives... or at least into the foreseeable future.

 _"Alright, I'm about to swim back home just so that I can break this Eva bitch's face."_

Clarke and Lexa both let out a laugh, but Anya's enraged expression remained firmly in place.

 _"I'm serious! What the actual_ _ **hell**_ _is wrong with that woman?"_

"The enormous crush she has on Lexa could practically be written as a Fatal Attraction sequel," Clarke replied.

 _"And let me guess that Commander Jellybean over there couldn't her to fuck off like she deserved."_

"She was a client, Anya," Lexa defended herself. "I had _no idea_ this would happen."

 _"Just tell me you're going to give her at least a small beat-down before she's carted off to prison."_

"She'll definitely be getting what's coming to her," Lexa replied confidently.

"She's joining the litigation team," Clarke informed Anya as she pointed at Lexa, "so I have no doubt she'll be getting what's coming to her... and more."

 _"Well, just make sure you describe to me every one of her heartbroken reactions when she finds out her money can't buy her out of this one."_

"I thought you were being transferred back home soon?" Lexa questioned her friend.

 _"Yeah, that's what I thought too. The Army is pretty famous for telling soldiers to 'hurry up and wait' so I'm waiting. I'm just hoping I'm back in time for O's wedding otherwise I'm going to paying for a ridiculously expensive gift for the rest of my life."_

"You seriously don't think you'll be home for another month?" Clarke asked as her eyes widened in surprise.

 _"I honestly don't know. I'm just... hoping at this point."_

"Well, keep hoping and start saving," Lexa teased.

 _"Alright, kids, I should get going... but I'm glad you're feeling better, Clarke."_

"Thanks, An," Clarke replied with a smile.

 _"And, Lex... go get that bitch."_

"You don't have to tell me twice," Lexa said with a smirk playing at the end of her lips.

 _"Love you both."_

"Love you too!" Clarke and Lexa enthused in unison as they all waved to each other.

"Stay safe," Lexa warned her friend.

 _"I will."_

The call was finally disconnected, and Lexa reached for her laptop to flip it closed before setting it on the coffee table and leaning over to press a soft kiss to Clarke's neck. She circled her arm around Clarke's waist and trailed her lips further up her skin until she was just below the blonde's ear. Lexa smiled when she felt Clarke squirm under her touch, and the action only spurred Lexa on further.

"Lexa," Clarke warned as she felt supple lips wrap around her ear lobe.

"Hmmm?" Lexa hummed against her skin as she inched her hand under Clarke's shirt and up her stomach.

"You know I can't..." Clarke said before trailing off. "I mean, I want to... I so badly want to... but I can't yet..."

Lexa's hand continued to ascend until her fingertips brushed along the bottom of Clarke's sports bra only to stop when Clarke's hand came up to trap it underneath her shirt.

"And if you keep kissing me like that and touching me there," Clarke continued, "I'm not going to want to stop you."

"I can't help it," Lexa mumbled against Clarke's neck. "You taste so good."

Clarke swallowed thickly and felt her throat bob against Lexa's lips which had moved to the front of her neck as they continued on their journey across her skin. She felt Lexa's hand move under hers, sliding slowly around to her side and ghosting against the edge of her breast.

"You feel so good," Lexa murmured.

Holy hell. Clarke felt her insides start to burn as if Lexa had been saying the most explicitly erotic words she'd ever heard in her life, and she heard herself allow a breathy moan to slip past her lips just as she felt Lexa's teeth graze against her pulse point. Her ribs tingled in time with the steady constriction of her lungs, and she cursed her body for being broken. She wanted nothing more than to get lost in Lexa's touches, to come undone under her fingers or her tongue or both, but she knew she wasn't ready for it physically. So she pulled Lexa's hand out from under her shirt and intertwined their fingers, and Lexa pulled her lips away from Clarke's skin and sighed into the crook of her neck.

"I want you, Clarke," Lexa said as she squeezed Clarke's fingers for emphasis.

"I know, but..."

"I know," Lexa replied softly before lifting her head and looking into Clarke's eyes.

"I want you too," Clarke replied as her eyes flicked down to Lexa's lips. "We could pick up where we left off on the dining room table."

Lexa watched as one of Clarke's eyebrows lifted playfully and a smirk began forming at the corners of her mouth. She swallowed at the suggestion but shook her head in disagreement.

"No," Lexa said through a small chuckle. "Not that I'm counting or anything, but I'm ahead of you by like three orgasms."

"What?" Clarke asked in confusion. "How do you figure that?"

"I had two during the little dining room table escapade," Lexa said as she gestured towards the table.

"And the third happened..." Clarke asked open-endedly.

Lexa's eyes went wide for a split second, remembering suddenly that she hadn't told Clarke about their first time and how she had come from the first touch of Clarke's lips on her naked breast, knowing that admitting just that would be embarrassing enough without having to deal with the inevitable smugness that would follow on Clare's behalf.

"I, um..." Lexa stuttered as she fidgeted on the couch, "uh... do you want some coffee?"

"Wait," Clarke demanded as she reached for Lexa's arm to pull her back onto the couch after she'd all but jumped to her feet. "The third?"

Lexa sighed, knowing she'd set herself up for something the blonde wouldn't let go of in this lifetime, so she pursed her lips before looking back at Clarke and explaining as vaguely as she possibly could in order to avoid as much embarrassment as she possibly could.

"During... our first time," Lexa offered through tight lips.

"Really?" Clarke inquired as her brow furrowed in confusion. "I only heard you once."

"It wasn't when I... it was before I..." Lexa stumbled over her words. "When you pushed me against the door after you took my shirt off... I kind of..."

"You came from that?" Clarke asked. She was thoroughly amused but was by no means making fun of Lexa, which Lexa could easily pick up on as well.

"You pushed your leg between mine," Lexa animatedly defended herself, "and the combination of the pressure, and you kissing my chest, and the fact that I'd been dreaming about that moment for years just all came crashing down on me and... it happened."

"So in other words," Clarke said as she squinted her eyes playfully, "you were thirsty and I'm just that good."

Lexa rolled her eyes and let out a small huff of breath, choosing not to respond in fear of inflating Clarke's ego even further.

"Do you want coffee or not?" Lexa said instead, feigning annoyance at the blonde.

"Sure," Clarke agreed.

She smiled as she watched Lexa stand quickly from the couch to make her way into the kitchen, catching her eye as she opened a cabinet door to retrieve two mugs. Lexa threw her a knowing glare, and Clarke giggled before reaching for the TV remote to find them something to watch together.

* * *

"Kyle called me," Raven said as Octavia guided her wheelchair into the hospital elevator.

"Who's Kyle?" Octavia asked as her eyebrows knitted together.

"Kyle Wick, from The Ark," Raven clued her in. "Hot blonde guy?"

"Oh, right!" Octavia said as realization finally dawned on her. "What did he want?"

"I'm pretty sure he just wanted to hook up," Raven said as she watched the numbers on the elevator display rise, "but he played it off like a champ when I told him I was in the hospital. He even offered to come visit."

"Wow," Octavia replied as she shrugged, "maybe he wasn't as big of a creep as I thought he was."

"He's not," Raven replied honestly. "A little shallow maybe, but he's not that bad. I was thinking maybe I should give him another chance."

Octavia's eyebrows lowered, and she squinted her eyes at her best friend as she stepped around to the side of her wheelchair.

"You sound so unbelievably unconvincing right now," she told Raven. "Do you even like him enough to give him another chance?"

"I don't know," Raven said as she smoothed the top of her hair and flipped her ponytail between her fingers. "He seems nice enough to like."

"Okay..." Octavia said as her voice drew out the word slowly. "I thought you weren't looking to date anyone right now anyways."

"I can change my mind," Raven said hastily.

"Okay, snappy," Octavia replied as she rolled her eyes lightly. "You can date whoever you want, it just doesn't seem like you're into this guy that's all."

"Well, how do I know if I'm into him unless I give him a chance to get to know him?" Raven asked.

"Okay," Octavia said as she closed her eyes and lifted a hand to her forehead, "you are being way to cryptic right now for the little amount of coffee I've had today to even attempt to piece together what you're trying to imply. Is this even about Kyle?"

"Yes, it's about Kyle," Raven said too quickly. "I just wanted to ask my best friend's opinion on whether she thought I should give this guy another chance."

"Alright," Octavia said as she sighed quietly. "I think if you think he's being sincere in wanting to see you again, even with the fact that you're still healing from a major surgery, then you should definitely give him a chance."

Raven's mouth formed into a small frown as she thought about what Octavia had said for a few seconds before she nodded in understanding.

"But if you're actually talking about someone else and are just to chicken shit to tell your best friend about it," Octavia continued, "then you should put a little time and effort into growing a pair so that we can actually have a real conversation."

Raven flicked her eyes up to Octavia and held her gaze for a few seconds before the elevator doors opened to their floor. Octavia had offered to take Raven to her physical therapy sessions while Clarke was recovering from her own injuries, knowing that it was easier to stay motivated when a friend was there to offer encouragement and support. She stepped back behind Raven's wheelchair when she didn't receive a response from her best friend and began pushing her down the hallway towards the therapy room.

"Raven, Octavia," Marcus greeted the two girls as they entered the lobby.

"What's up, Doc?" Raven asked with a smirk.

Raven had grown to really like Marcus over the time they'd spent together in her therapy sessions, and she knew the feeling was mutual by the wide smile that played across his lips every time he saw her. They hadn't talked about Abby much, not wanting to make anything awkward for Clarke during the times she was there with them, but Raven started pumping him for information since Octavia had been taking her to her sessions and delighted in every story he would tell her. A little part of her knew she was only enjoying his little anecdotes because they helped take her mind off of a certain someone who had been taking over her thoughts lately, and it was a nice reprieve from the constant state of turmoil those thoughts had been leaving her in.

"How is your leg feeling today? Any pain in your hip?" Marcus asked as they all walked over to the exercise room.

"About the same as yesterday," Raven answered. "Although my hip seems to be hurting worse than my leg lately."

"You've built up a lot of strength in your leg over the last month," Marcus said as he helped Raven up towards the parallel bars, "and your hip has been subjected to so much movement during your exercises that it's having to work twice as hard to keep up."

"Well, just remember our deal, Doc," Raven said as a smirk took over her lips.

"That deal was more like an ultimatum," Marcus quipped as he rounded the bars to stand on the opposite end of them.

"What deal?" Octavia asked as she lined up behind her best friend.

"I told the Doc here that he better have me walking by your wedding or else," Raven said over her shoulder.

"Raven," Octavia began as she narrowed her eyes at her friend, "it's up to you just as much as him if you want to make sure you're walking by then."

Marcus smiled and nodded his head once as if to thank Octavia for saying as much.

"Plus, it's not the end of the world if you can't walk by then anyways," Octavia said as she followed closely behind Raven as she began to make her way through the bars.

"Octavia," Raven began determinedly, "I am _going_ to dance at your wedding without a brace, a walker, crutches or anything else that's made out of metal if it's the last thing I ever do."

"Alright, sheesh," Octavia said as she rolled her eyes and looked towards Marcus. "How the hell have you put up with her every day for the last month? I would have thought you'd have quit by now. I mean, the girl has caused worse than that in the past."

"That waitress couldn't get an order right even if it was her own," Raven retorted. "I was doing the entire restaurant a favor."

"You made her cry!" Octavia exclaimed.

"Yeah, I did kind of feel bad about that," Raven said as she scrunched her nose at the memory. "But Clarke told me she saw her like two months later working at some pizza place."

Marcus chuckled at the banter, knowing it was all in good fun. He congratulated Raven when she made it over to him, and he and Octavia switched positions so that Raven could walk back through the bars the opposite way. He had her take a few steps backwards and then forwards, as he had been slowly introducing steps that forced a wider range of motion for Raven's hip, and she was able to complete the entire exercise with only a few complaints of pain. They moved onto all of the other areas of the room, diligently working through each activity until Raven had worked up a sweat and her muscles were aching.

"Alright, let's call it a night," Marcus said as he handed a water bottle over to Raven.

That had become their little tradition. Every time Marcus was pleased enough with her progress for the day, he would offer her a bottle of water and they would conclude their session. Raven chugged the cool liquid greedily and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand when her thirst had been quenched. They talked for just a moment about their next session before Octavia helped Raven back into her wheelchair and said their goodbyes.

"Until next time, Doc," Raven said with a wink as Octavia wheeled her out towards the elevators.

* * *

"Why do you always have to look so hot all the time?"

Lexa laughed and looked over to Clarke's reflection in the mirror as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. Today was a big day for them both as they were headed down to the courthouse for Eva and Roan's arraignments, and Lexa had been stressing about it since Ryder had called her with the news that Eva had been arrested and officially charged. She had gone home to get her nicest suit, a navy blue skit and blazer set that she always paired with a dark green blouse and a pair of designer heels. It was her best look, she thought, and also happened to be the most expensive suit she owned so she only pulled it out on really important occasions.

"Well, I'm glad this two thousand dollar suit is doing its job," Lexa said as she stepped back from the mirror to look over her makeup.

"That suit was two thousand dollars?!" Clarke exclaimed. "My entire wardrobe probably doesn't cost two thousand dollars!"

"You wear scrubs every day, Clarke," Lexa informed her. "Trust me, if I could wear scrubs every day I would."

"You'd look hot in scrubs too," Clarke purred as she made her way into the bathroom to stop right behind Lexa.

"This apparent constant state of arousal you're in lately just makes you think I look better than I actually do," Lexa teased as she turned herself to face the blonde.

"Impossible," Clarke answered. "I mean, yes, I am in a constant state of arousal, but it's impossible for me to think you look better than you do because you always look amazing."

Lexa leaned forward to meet Clarke in a lingering kiss before pulling back slowly.

"You're quite the flatterer lately," Lexa said as she flicked her eyes down to Clarke's lips again.

"Constant state of arousal, remember?" Clarke said through a smirk.

"Well, it's my turn to flatter you," Lexa said as she took Clarke's hands in her own and took a small step back as if to appraise her appearance. "You look beautiful. As always."

Clarke smiled and gave Lexa another quick peck on the lips before she herself stepped up to the mirror to make sure her hair was cooperating the way she'd hoped it was. She had on a much simpler outfit than Lexa, which consisted of a black pencil skirt and a forest green blouse with small ruffles down the front of it. It had taken her an inordinate amount of time to pick out just the right thing to wear, but she knew she had nailed it when Lexa had told her she looked beautiful with that look in her eyes that told her she was being revered by the brunette as the most beautiful creature on the planet in that moment.

"We match," Lexa said as she motioned to their green blouses.

"We do," Clarke confirmed with a smile. "It took me so long to find something appropriate that would go with my cast... I had no idea how many articles of clothing I have in blue."

"See?" Lexa said as she turned her attention over to Clarke. "You should have asked for a blue cast."

"No, I'm glad I got a green one," Clarke said.

Lexa silently turned herself towards the blonde and waited for her to continue.

"Not only does the green remind me of your eyes," Clarke said as she lifted her hand to gently brush over Lexa's cheek and gaze into said green eyes, "but if I got a blue cast to go with all of the blue clothes I apparently have, I'd end up looking like a smurf."

"You would make an _adorable_ smurf," Lexa said as she wrapped her arms around Clarke's waist.

Clarke hummed approvingly into Lexa's mouth as they kissed slowly, their lips teasing and brushing over each other for a few seconds before it became heated. After Clarke's teeth had lightly clamped around Lexa's bottom lip, their tongues slid together and their hands found their way around each other's bodies greedily seeking out the feeling of soft warm skin free from the barriers of clothing. A blush began to creep up Lexa's neck and heated the tops of her ears as she felt Clarke move against her and moan into her mouth. She immediately missed the feeling of Clarke's lips against hers as the blonde pulled away just as Lexa's hand slid up to cover the generous swell of her breast. They looked at each other for a few moments, their eyes connecting and then darting down to parted lips as they both struggled to regulate their breathing.

"We need to stop doing that," Lexa finally said as she panted and lowered her hand from Clarke's chest.

"Yeah," Clarke agreed as she tried not to pay attention to her ribs burning with pain, "at least until I can breathe without pain."

"I'm sorry," Lexa confessed as she dropped her head slightly and loosened her hold on her best friend.

"I was the one who started it anyways," Clarke said honestly as she shrugged her shoulders.

"How do you figure that?" Lexa asked with a smirk tugging at her lips.

"I started talking about smurfs, which is obviously some kind of weird turn on for you," Clarke teased before turning back towards the mirror and applying a thin layer of lip gloss.

"You're incorrigible," Lexa muttered as she did the same.

Their cab ride to the court house was pleasant. Their driver was decent, and the traffic was light. They chatted about nothing important, knowing that the rest of the day would be stressful enough, having to face two of the last people either of them wanted to see. Eva had been arrested the same day Monty had performed the last of his magic on the hard drives he'd saved from corruption at the last minute. She more than likely had showed her... displeasure... with being assigned an alternate lawyer to represent her while Lexa was still on her company personal time. It had all gone according to Lexa's plan, and she was both nervous and elated to finally have the opportunity to confront Eva from the opposite side of the table so to speak. Roan on the other hand had most likely been detained from when he'd been hauled into the interrogation room originally. It was what happened when a person doesn't have the means to hire a private attorney and are stuck with a court appointed attorney, someone who defends criminals at the expense of the public.

"Thirty-five fifty," the cab driver announced as he pulled up in front of the old building.

Lexa searched through her purse for her wallet and presented the cab driver with two twenty dollar bills.

"Keep the change," she said with a smile, to which the driver tipped his head in appreciation.

After only a little bit of struggling, Clarke managed to get out of the car as Lexa helped her with her crutches. They walked slowly towards the courthouse, both looking up in awe of the intricate architecture and sheer size of it. Lexa had been there before, she had even litigated a time or two in that very building, but the impressiveness of the structure never ceased to amaze her each time she ascended the tall stone stairway spanning the entire length of the front of the building.

Of course they were headed towards the ramp side, as Clarke was in no shape to take the stairs with her broken ankle and fractured ribs. She had insisted on keeping her wheelchair at home, promising Lexa she would be fine, but she was seriously beginning to reconsider her decision once they had finally arrived in the lobby. Lexa walked through the metal detector while Clarke had to be wanded due to her crutches, and they both made their way down to the courtroom they'd been assigned.

"Alright," Lexa said as she ushered Clarke into an aisle seat off to the side of the room, "so it begins."

"You'll be great," Clarke said encouragingly before kissing Lexa's cheek and lowering herself into her chair.

"Thanks," Lexa said with a smirk before leaning down and whispering something into Clarke's ear.

Clarke blushed wildly in response and timidly accepted Lexa's kiss to her lips before watching as the determined lawyer sauntered away to find her place at the far end of the prosecution table. She watched as Lexa shook hands with the other two prosecutors and placed a few file folders onto the surface in front of her. They spoke among each other for a few minutes, most likely going over their plan of action to make sure they were all on the same page, and it wasn't long after that the audience was being told the proceedings were coming to order.

Clarke watched with rapt attention as two very large bailiffs lead her attacker into the courtroom and behind the defense table. She gritted her teeth as she laid eyes on the man again as memories of that night came rushing back into her mind and began to sting behind her eyes. She flicked her gaze over to see Lexa looking back at her cautiously, as if to make sure she was staying strong, and Clarke nodded to ease her girlfriend's mind. She wasn't feeling particularly strong, but she knew she had to get through this. She knew she had to hear every word of the arraignment and subsequent trial in order to move past the trauma he'd subjected her to that night.

"We're here on cause of the arraignment of Mr. Roan King," the judge spoke, "to set forth the charges of his crimes and resolve custody until his trial."

The courtroom and attorneys were silent as the judge spoke, knowing only to respond when being directed to do so by the judge. In this room, the judge ruled. What was said and decided by a judge in a courtroom was resolute which made it imperative for each side to argue their case as tenaciously as possible.

"Has your client come to the decision regarding his pleas for each of the charges being handed down?" The judge asked Roan's attorney.

"He has," the attorney stated simply.

"Of the two charges of burglary in the first degree, how does your client plead?" The judge asked.

"Guilty, your honor," the attorney stated.

Clarke's heart skipped a beat, knowing that his admission of guilt to just those two crimes guaranteed his fate behind bars for even just a while.

"Of the charge of attempted murder, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty, your honor," the attorney replied. "My client has accepted a plea bargain from the prosecution for the charge of attempted murder to be dropped to a charge of second degree aggravated assault in exchange for testimony."

"Does the prosecution agree?" The judge questioned as he turned his gaze towards the table where Lexa was sitting.

"We agree, your honor," one of the other prosecutors said.

"Of the charge of aggravated assault in the second degree, how does your client plead?"

"Guilty, your honor," Roan's attorney said.

"Due to the violent nature of the crimes being charged to the defendant," the judge began, "I hereby remand Mr. King to custody until the conclusion of his sentencing set for three weeks from today."

Clarke let out a sigh of relief as the sound of the judge's gavel echoed throughout the courtroom. She was happy that the man sitting just in front of her, her attacker, was going to be held behind bars until he was sentenced to remain behind bars for another 15 to 20 years. What she wasn't at all prepared for was to watch as Roan turned his head to look straight back into Clarke's eyes and speak quietly to her.

"I'm sorry," he said in a gritty voice that just barely cracked with emotion. "I know it probably doesn't mean much... but for whatever it's worth... I'm sorry."

Clarke swallowed as she held her breath, not daring any attempt at a response, and simply stared back at him for a few silent seconds before their gaze was broken as the bailiffs reached down to stand him up and usher him out of the courtroom. She blinked in shock a few times and pulled a hand through her hair as she tried to sort out every thought and emotion coursing through her mind and body at that moment. She wanted to forgive him, and maybe she would someday, but it wasn't someday yet.

Thankfully Eva's arraignment had been scheduled just on the heels of Roan's, so Clarke didn't have to move from her seat or wait for a long period of time before the courtroom was brought to order once again. Lexa looked like she was fidgeting with her papers, and Clarke knew how nervous she must have been feeling. She had officially swapped sides, going from representing Eva Porter one day to trying a case against her the next, and Eva was about to come to an extremely rude awakening the moment she stepped into the courtroom and noticed Lexa behind the prosecution table.

The doors opened, and Clarke's stomach dropped when she laid eyes on Eva looking just about as beautiful as she ever had. It looked as though she still had the remnants of her makeup from the previous day still painted on her skin, and it somehow managed to look nearly fresh as if it had just been applied before she walked into the courtroom. She watched as Lexa's gaze slowly raised from her papers and up towards Eva as she was being led by a single bailiff across the courtroom to the defense table, and the moment she saw their gazes collide was a moment Clarke hoped to remember for the rest of her life.

The expression on Eva's face turned from one of general discontent to one of absolute and utter shock the moment she noticed Lexa sitting behind a table, one that she wasn't being led towards. All traces of color seemed to drain from her face, leaving even her blushed cheeks looking pale, and she slowed her pace while she stared at Lexa with her mouth slightly agape as if she was at a loss for words, thoughts, and actions all at the same time. Clarke watched as Lexa trained her eyes on Eva, turning her head as she passed in front of her, and only looking away when Eva had been ushered into her seat behind the table opposite of Lexa.

"We're here on cause of the arraignment of Miss Eva Porter," the judge spoke, "to set forth the charges of her crimes and resolve custody until her trial. Has your client come to the decision regarding her pleas for each of the charges being handed down?"

"She has, your honor," Eva's attorney answered for her.

He was no doubt a highly-paid professional, clearly evident from his flawless appearance and the haughty way he spoke and carried himself. Clarke raked her eyes down his suit that screamed out it had been custom designed, and his silk necktie was probably worth more than her entire outfit. His hair was slicked back and jet black, and his skin was tanned and more than obviously treated with the care and precision of a professional esthetician. She wondered for a moment why Eva hadn't signed herself with an attorney like this from the very beginning, but her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the judge speaking again.

"Of the charge of conspiracy to commit burglary, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty, your honor," Eva's attorney said confidently.

Clarke huffed out a small breath in disbelief, knowing that she was just making it harder for herself now that Roan had agreed to testify against her on that charge. She tried to ignore the feeling of her heart racing in her chest and focused on what the judge was saying instead.

"Of the charge of tax evasion, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty, your honor," he stated just as confidently as last time.

"Of the charges of embezzlement and money laundering, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty on both charges, your honor."

"Of the charges of bribery and extortion, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty on both charges, your honor."

Clarke was speechless as she heard the last of the charges being brought down on Eva. She knew the woman had been involved in some serious misconduct, but she had no idea it had involved such serious offenses and was thrilled at the prospect of her going to prison for the better part of her life. The trial alone was enough to kill her political career, and guilty convictions on all counts would almost guarantee her family's company to fall apart not even taking into consideration the charges her father was probably facing as well.

"Has the prosecution anything to say about the terms of bail for the defendant?" The judge asked this time.

Clarke's pride nearly sprouted legs and jumped out of her body when she heard the sound of Lexa's voice carrying through the courtroom in response to the judge's question.

"We request the defendant be remanded to custody until her trial," Lexa stated strongly.

"Remanded?" The defense attorney blurted out. "On what grounds?"

"Miss Porter has numerous influential connections in this and neighboring communities and liberal means by which to flee," Lexa shot back at the attorney, but it certainly didn't go unnoticed by the judge.

"My client has no reason to–"

The judge cut off the banter with a swift crash of his gavel against its sound block, and all arguments ceased immediately. The entire courtroom seemed to be holding their breath as the judge filtered through his own thoughts before speaking his decision aloud.

"The prosecution's motion has been granted," the judge said, "and the defendant shall be remanded to custody until the date of her trial set for three weeks from today."

A final crack of the gavel rang in Lexa's ears as she turned her gaze over to Eva once again. In the cab ride to the courthouse, Lexa had told herself over and over again not to do it. As soon as the arraignment had started, she had again told herself not to do it. She willed herself not to do it as she held Eva's gaze after the judge had carried out his final decision, but she couldn't help it. It was somehow out of her control. As if the perfect moment had been set up for her, Lexa threw on her best poker face and gave Eva a wink... and that was all that seemed to make the young politician's world come crashing down.

Her chest heaved, her nostrils flared, and every ounce of color that had drained from her face came rushing back with vengeance as she flushed wildly from the top of her forehead and down her neck and onto her chest past the neckline of her dull gray prison wear. Clarke was just waiting for Eva to jump over the table and lunge at Lexa in a last and desperate act of blind rage, but she was thankful when the moment never came. Clarke watched as Lexa watched Eva being ushered out of the courtroom, and she almost cried when she saw the look of absolute joy sprawled across Lexa's face when she turned to smile back at her. Clarke was shaking as she stood from her chair and leaned herself onto her crutches as she waited for Lexa to dismiss herself from the other two lawyers she had been sitting with.

"I am _so proud_ of you," Clarke said into Lexa's neck as she was enveloped in her careful embrace.

She didn't even realize she had been crying until Lexa reached up to wipe her cheeks before leaning in to give her a meaningful kiss. They didn't know that at precisely one month in the future they would be sharing yet another congratulatory kiss. A kiss that was shared after Eva had been convicted of every single one of the charges that had been brought against her, later to be sentenced to spend the next fifteen years of her life in prison. Roan shared a similar fate and found himself looking at a twelve year sentence, directly correlated to the age of his daughter the judge made sure to point out, so that Roan could remind himself every day of how he had failed his family with the decisions he had made. Between Eva and Roan, only one was likely to change, and both Clarke and Lexa would bet the farm on the latter.

"I'm proud of us," Lexa replied as a wistful smile crept over her face. "Let's go home."

Home. A single word had never sounded so sweet in Clarke's ears.

* * *

Lexa was thrilled. She had successfully petitioned for her former client, now sworn enemy in all practical senses of the word, to sit in jail until her trial and eventual conviction of at least a few of the charges brought against her. It was a personal win for herself but also one for Clarke and their relationship as well. They had gone through so much together, forced to go through so much together, by the hands of this single woman who had all but made it her sole purpose in life to ruin theirs.

And now Lexa was thrilled again.

She found herself sitting opposite of one of the biggest inspirational figures in her life after she had gotten a call inviting her to dinner to discuss, well, Lexa didn't really know what. But it didn't really matter to her anyways since she was just happy to be occupying the same table as the woman whose latest book she had just finished reading.

"So, Lexa," Indra started as she lowered the wine glass from her lips, "I watched your arraignment of Eva Porter the other day."

 _'That was being recorded?'_ Lexa thought immediately. She knew sessions in the courtroom were always recorded by official transcript, but it wasn't often that they were recorded with film as well.

"For someone who hasn't litigated much in her short lifetime, you were a natural," the older woman complimented. "It was impressive."

Lexa fought hard from blushing at the kind words being directed towards her and smiled politely instead.

"I had personal motivation on my side," Lexa admitted, knowing that it was her history with Eva that had helped her to remain determined and confident in her requests to the judge. "Eva Porter has made my life a living hell since I signed her as a client, and I was just happy to finally be on the other side of the table from her."

"Tell me about it," Indra requested, "if you're comfortable, of course."

Lexa probably wouldn't have felt comfortable discussing her most problematic client if she was in the midst of still having to deal with her, but luckily that wasn't the case anymore. She had felt a weight lift off of her shoulders the second the judge had ordered Eva Porter behind bars, and it was a thousand times easier talking about the situation now that Lexa had won the battle before the war. The trial was still coming, but she was confident that the evidence they had to use against her would more than guarantee a comfortable 15 years in prison at the least.

"Off the record?" Lexa asked.

"Of course," Indra confirmed with a smile.

By the time Lexa had finished telling Indra about how everything had started and unfolded from the begging to the arraignment, they had finished their entrees and were sipping on their second glasses of wine. It was late, but the conversation was still flowing and Lexa was determined to make every second with the other woman count as it may have been the last time she could enjoy her company one-on-one.

"I think you show great integrity with your decision to move on from your current position to fight the fight from the other side," Indra said as she nodded her head slowly, "from the side you believe is the right one."

"Thank you," Lexa replied quietly.

"Lexa, I want you," Indra said after a few moments of silence.

Lexa's eyebrows raised in surprise at the boldness of the statement but knew it was meant to be direct. She waited for the older woman to continue on with her train of thoughts and swallowed as another few seconds of silence slipped by.

"You are a rarity in our line of work," Indra confessed and leaned her forearms against the edge of the table. "There are too many lawyers who get caught up in the money or the notoriety or the importance they feel after they win a case that they didn't even believe in from the beginning. That's not how I run my firm, and those aren't the kind of people I want working for me."

Lexa took a sip of her wine as Indra spoke. She was feeling slightly lightheaded, not from the wine but from the realization that someone who she had studied, followed, looked up to, was actually about to offer her a job. She was getting the opportunity of a lifetime placed directly into her lap, and it was up to her to accept it or not. Her mind raced and her heart rate increased as Indra continued to speak.

"I want to offer you a position at my firm that you can't refuse," she said with a small hint of a smirk playing at the edge of her lips.

"I... honestly... don't know what to say," Lexa tripped over her words, suddenly feeling completely overwhelmed.

"Then don't say anything until I pitch my proposal to you," Indra said as she leaned back in her chair. "I'd like to start you off as a junior partner."

Lexa's mouth almost dropped at the words, and she knew her eyes widened by the way Indra's smirk began to deepen.

"I want to position you to make partner within the next seven years," Indra explained, "which I'm fairly confident you have the ability to do."

This time Lexa couldn't help the blush that lightly dusted her cheeks at the generous compliments being attributed to her.

"I'll more than match your current salary," she went on. "There's a full benefits package and a ten thousand dollar year-end bonus for your first year, granted your performance supports it... which both you and I know it will."

Lexa blinked a few times as she let everything sink in. She was not only being offered more money than she was currently making for doing what she loved, but more importantly she was being offered the chance to work directly with someone who she deemed as being one of the best in the business. There was so much more she could learn from Indra, so much more she could be exposed to working under her wing as a junior partner. She was practically envisioning herself signing on the dotted line but at the same time being torn to want to talk it over with someone first.

"If you want to sweeten the pot, Lexa, do it now, " Indra tempted her. "I can't let you slip through my fingers."

"Wow, I'm... I'm thrilled, Indra," Lexa confessed. "I never would have imagined you of all people, someone who I've admired for years, offering me a job... and asking me to sweeten the pot."

Indra chuckled but said nothing, wanting the younger woman to make good on her invitation.

"I'd imagine being junior partner at such a well-established firm would mean that I would need an assistant," Lexa said slowly.

"I'd say that is a safe assumption," Indra replied as she nodded her head.

"I hired a fantastic one this past year," Lexa said. "He has... made a few missteps... but has learned quickly from them and shows incredible potential, and I'd be remiss if I didn't fight to keep him by my side."

Indra nodded as she thought.

"Normally I would be the one to assign an assistant to my junior partner," she began, "but I'm willing to take a chance on _him_ since I won't be having to take a chance on _you_."

"He would need proper incentive as well," Lexa boldly tested the older woman.

"And your inner litigator makes an appearance," Indra joked which earned a small laugh from Lexa. "I will do the same for him and more than match his current salary and benefits package."

"Alright," Lexa approved, "I have one more condition... I'd like to talk it over with Clarke before I officially agree on anything. She's an important part of my life, and I need to know her thoughts."

"I agree, Lexa," Indra said. "In fact, I think it's imperative that you do so."

Their conversation continued for a little while longer and ended up leaving Lexa with a strange combination of simultaneous excitement and utter disappointment. She'd been excited to tell Clarke her news but just as suddenly been nervous to do so now knowing a few more details about the position and not knowing how Clarke would react or how their conversation might end. It was a life-changing opportunity in more ways than one, and Lexa knew that the moment she spoke with Clarke about it would be the moment all of their cards would be set out on the table.

* * *

"Hey, sleepy head," Lexa said softly into Clarke's ear as she leaned over her on the couch.

Clarke had woken up as soon as Lexa had opened her front door, and she had muttered a sleepy greeting from her position sprawled out down the length of her couch. She happily accepted a small kiss from her girlfriend before she struggled to sit up and look at her properly.

"How did your dinner go?" Clarke asked with a smile as she rubbed at her eyes. "Are your lips chapped from kissing her ass so much?"

Lexa chuckled and found a seat next to Clarke on the couch. She felt nervous but didn't let it show.

"Actually, it was kind of the other way around," Lexa said honestly.

"What do you mean?" Clarke asked as she tipped her head to the side.

"Well," Lexa started as she settled back into the couch, "she told me that she was impressed by my performance at the Eva Porter arraignment. Apparently the session had been recorded, and she watched it."

"Wow," Clarke said as her eyes widened. "That's quite a compliment."

"Yeah," Lexa agreed through a small smile.

"So why do I sense there is more to this story?" Clarke asked as she studied the expressions passing over Lexa's face.

"There _is_ more," Lexa said before taking a deep breath. "She... offered me a job."

"Are you serious?" Clarke asked as her eyes managed to grow even wider.

Clarke was well aware of Lexa's borderline obsession over the older lawyer. She'd been on the receiving end of Lexa's gushing about her new book or the latest case she had won or the amazing lecture she had given, so she knew at the mere mention that Lexa had been offered a job by the woman she so greatly admired that this was a big deal. A really big deal.

"Yeah," Lexa confirmed as she threaded her fingers through her hair and lost herself in the memories of her earlier conversation with Indra. "She offered me junior partner."

Clarke's mouth fell open, and a smile teased the corners of her mouth. She was so proud of her girlfriend and only getting prouder by the second.

"She offered to beat my current salary with a ten thousand dollar bonus at the end of the year," Lexa said with an expression of surprise that matched the one on Clarke's face. "She even agreed to let me keep Aden as my assistant."

"That's incredible, Lex," Clarke enthused as she reached for the brunette's hand. "Did you take it?"

"No," Lexa said as she squeezed Clarke's hand in her own, "not yet."

"You definitely should, Lexa," Clarke told her. "It's an amazing opportunity."

"I know," Lexa said with a sigh. "It is."

"So what's holding you back?" Clarke asked as she furrowed her eyebrows. There was an expression on Lexa's face that she couldn't quite place, and it was starting to not sit well with her.

"I told her I needed to talk with you first," Lexa said softly. "The job... it comes with a big catch."

"How big of a catch?" Clarke heard herself asking but not really wanting to know in fear of what Lexa might say.

The conversation that Clarke originally thought would last just a short while ended up lingering on for hours. Countless emotions bubbled their way to the surface, and even more tears were shed from both women's eyes as they sometimes spoke and other times sat in silence. They were both exhausted by the time the early hours of the morning had rolled around, and Clarke found herself succumbing to sleep on the couch, alone, as thoughts of how the last few hours had just changed the entire course of her life.

* * *

" **WELCOME HOME**!"

Raven couldn't help the smile from spilling across her face as she walked, with the aid of a metal walker, into her apartment to see every one of her nearest and dearest friends standing around her living room with ridiculous party hats on and those paper party horns that not only honk but uncurl as they are blown into. There were balloons in every imaginable color covering the floor of her apartment and enough prepared food spread across her kitchen counters to feed a small army. There were a few bouquets of flowers sitting around the apartment as well as a couple of gift bags stuffed with tissue paper to hide whatever was inside from being seen.

It had been about three weeks since Clarke's assault and almost two months since Raven's surgery. She was elated when Abby told her she was finally cleared to be discharged from the hospital and was free to head back home for good. There would most likely going to be one more follow-up surgery to be completed within the year, but it wouldn't require a hospital stay and would be far less invasive than the surgery she had just gone through and recovered from over the last eight weeks. Raven's eyes finally landed on a large banner taped onto the upper cabinets in her kitchen that read ' **You're A Superstar!** '

"Ugh," Raven finally grunted as she rolled her eyes. "You guys are so cheesy and dumb."

"You love us, Rae Rae!" Octavia exclaimed as she jumped up beside her best friend and began tooting her party horn so that the paper trunk came out to snap Raven on the cheek over and over and over again.

Octavia punctuated her little song with a long and drawn-out howl of her horn at the end, positioning it so that it poked Raven in the eye until the brunette's hand came up to snatch it away and throw it to the ground playfully. She may have muttered something about getting 'that damn horn out of her face' before she angled her walker away from her body and wrapping her arms around Octavia's neck. They both chuckled, along with everyone else in the apartment, and held each other for a few moments as Octavia ran her hands up and down Raven's back comfortingly. As Raven stepped away from the warm embrace, the rest of her friends let out a collective honk of their horns almost as if it had been planned.

"You all are annoying and suck!" Raven teased in her normal Raven way, but everyone was more than aware of her humor by now and just laughed in response.

"I'm so proud of you," Abby said as she stepped up to Raven and wrapped her into a hug. "I might have to adopt you as my fourth daughter if you keep this up."

"You wouldn't be able to handle me, Dr. G," Raven teased the older woman.

"Something tells me you are absolutely right," Abby replied with a smile, "but I sure wouldn't mind trying."

"Congratulations on your all your hard work, Raven," Marcus said from beside Abby, "and welcome home."

"Thanks, Doc," Raven said before opening her arms to him.

They had never hugged before, which is why Marcus hadn't made any move to this time, but he gratefully accepted Raven's request and wrapped his arms around her in congratulations. She scanned the apartment to see who else was there and smiled as she laid eyes on each one of her friends. Her gaze stopped on Clarke who was standing but was propped up on crutches since her ankle was still in a cast. She grinned and they each made their way towards each other slowly before meeting in a hug.

"I love you, Rae," Clarke said into her ear as she held her friend close.

"I love you too, Griff," Raven replied and squeezed her a little tighter. "How's your ankle?"

"Fine," Clarke replied with a smile and a shrug. "I'm about three weeks from getting the cast off."

Raven nodded in response and was quickly whisked into the arms of Lincoln, who proceeded to gently pull her up and off the floor as everyone in the room chuckled. He set her down gingerly, and she gave him a playful slap to the arm as they shared a smile with each other for a few seconds. Lexa was the last in line for a hug, and the two simply gravitated towards one another, wordlessly, before losing themselves in a tender embrace. There was something so calming about Lexa's presence whenever she was in a room that made the act of speaking almost unnecessary, and Raven appreciated it more in this moment than she ever had before. The weight of the celebration was finally sinking in, and she was only a breath away from tears if she heard one more person share their congratulations.

As they pulled away, Raven noticed the room fell uncomfortably silent and felt her own heart practically stop beating as soon as she saw the reason for it.

"Hey, Reyes," Anya greeted quietly from the doorway of her apartment.

Raven was frozen to her spot on the floor as the tears she was so desperately fighting not to come began flowing down her cheeks. The Army soldier, still dressed in her full fatigues and holding her pack around one shoulder, dropped everything she was carrying and quickly made her way over to Raven before they crumbled into each other's arms in an unyielding embrace. Raven's body trembled, and Anya just held her tighter as a smile painted itself across her face. As her tears began to slow, she slid her face down into the crook of Anya's neck, feeling her own breath hot on her face as she sighed.

"I missed you," Raven whispered.

"Yeah, me too," Anya replied as she pulled back to look at Raven.

She brought her right hand up face and gently wiped a few tears from Raven's cheeks as her eyes slowly mapped Raven's face for a few seconds before the silence was broken.

"Damn," Octavia blurted out, "do I need to be worried about my current position as best friend?"

"Yeah, I wish I'd have gotten a greeting like that," Clarke teased.

"The woman was overseas fighting for our liberty and freedom and shit," Raven snapped back playfully. "Unless you join the Army and do the same, don't expect a greeting from me like that in your lifetime."

Clarke and the rest of the group laughed before they all found their way towards the food and the booze. Octavia turned on some music, as per usual, and Anya lead a toast to Raven for her recovery and strength to have made it where she was on her own. Raven had corrected her before everyone took their drinks to state that she couldn't have done it on her own and thanked each one of them for their love and support... even on the days she was a royal bitch. She and Clarke shared a look, clinked their glasses, and downed their shots.

"I can't believe you're back for good," Clarke said to Anya through a huge smile.

"And with less than a week to spare until O's wedding," Lexa added from her seat beside Clarke.

"That was what I was most happy about," Anya confessed with a smirk. "I didn't want to even think about the wedding gift I'd have to get her if I missed it."

"You're damn straight," Octavia directed back at Anya and raised her eyebrows for emphasis.

"No, she's not," Clarke and Lexa said at the same time, and the entire group burst into laughter.

"You two have been hanging out together _way_ too much," Octavia said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"That's what happens when you're in looove," Lincoln cooed.

"Yeah, so when are you two going to U-Haul it?" Raven interjected.

"What? U-Haul?" Marcus asked for clarification.

"You know, move in together," Raven said, "U-Haul it."

Marcus nodded once in understanding before catching Abby's amused expression as she chuckled at his bewilderment. He just shrugged and looked back at the couple in question.

"Actually, we wanted to talk to you guys about something," Clarke announced uneasily and shifted in her seat on the couch beside Lexa who was looking more nervous by the second.

"You're pregnant!" Raven exclaimed as she thrust her index finger towards Clarke.

"Uh, no," Clarke shot down immediately.

"You're engaged!" Octavia followed up as she looked excitedly between the two.

"You're pregnant _and_ engaged!" Anya chimed in eagerly.

Abby's mouth fell open as the suggestions flew around the room but stayed silent as she studied her daughter and her girlfriend as they sat next to each other on the couch waiting for everyone to stop jumping to conclusions. They shared a brief unreadable glance before they both sat up a little straighter in their seats.

"Are you getting a divorce?" Raven asked as her voice cracked intentionally.

"Who cheated on who?" Anya asked, still riding the wave of Raven's joke.

"Lexa on Clarke," Raven replied with a knowing nod.

"What? No!" Clarke finally interjected. "Lexa didn't cheat on me, we're not breaking up, and no one is pregnant... so just shut the hell up for a second and let me talk, okay?"

"Continue," Anya said and gestured as much with her hand.

"Thank you," Clarke said mockingly as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Lexa?"

"Right, so..." Lexa started with a long breath, "you guys may have heard me mention the name Indra before..."

Abby laughed as a chorus of loud groans and 'oh no here we go again' came from the group of friends while Lexa huffed in annoyance and Clarke tried to hide her smirk.

"As I was saying," Lexa continued as she raised her voice, "Indra and I had a meeting over dinner a few weeks ago, and she offered me a job as junior partner at her law firm."

"No fucking way!" Anya said in surprise, clearly not have expecting her to say that.

"It's an incredible opportunity," Lexa explained, "and one I wasn't expecting from someone I had admired for so many years."

A few in the group nodded, and they all waited in silence for Lexa to finish.

"Anyways," Lexa said as she swallowed thickly, "I... um... I took the job... and I'm moving to San Francisco."

"What?!" Raven roared.

"San Francisco?" Anya asked in disbelief.

"You're moving?" Octavia chimed in loudly. "Are you serious, Lexa?"

"Actually," Clarke interjected, "we're moving."

The group fell into a stunned silence at Clarke's words.

"What?!" Abby finally said in shock. "Clarke, you're moving? When did you plan on telling me this?"

"Well," Clarke started, "now."

Both girls sitting on the couch were looking up at Abby with rather nervous expressions on their faces, waiting for her to say something, anything, that would let them know how she felt. It wasn't that they needed her approval, but Clarke knew it would be nice to have regardless. It always makes for more a more peaceful family dynamic when everyone is at least on the same page together. Abby's eyes remained wide as she shook her head, probably running through a million questions in her head before asking any more aloud.

"What about the hospital, Clarke?" Abby asked. "You're... you're leaving the hospital?"

"Mom, you and I both know there's another job at another hospital for me," Clarke replied softly. "Lexa and I... we're... in it for the long haul, and it's my time to support her like I know she'd support me if this were the other way around."

Abby sighed a little sigh and looked from Clarke to Lexa and then back to Clarke before she stood and walked over to the couch. She reached her hand down towards Lexa, who took it tentatively and stood to her feet, and before she knew it Abby had wrapped her up in a tight and meaningful hug.

"You better take care of my daughter," Abby said before lowering her voice to a whisper, "or I'll walk to San Francisco if I have to and kick your ass."

She pulled back from Lexa and shot her a playful smile, and Lexa relaxed immediately as she realized Abby had just given her blessing... in one way or another. She released the hold she had on the older woman, and watched as she enveloped Clarke in a hug and kissed her cheek. The rest of the group, still thoroughly shocked, congratulated Lexa and asked the couple a few more questions before more liquor was being poured to celebrate and mourn (as Raven had made sure to add) the momentous events of the evening. As the alcohol started loosening up the entire group, it was suggested that they should play a game.

"Monopoly?" Marcus chimed in with his suggestion.

"Monopoly _is_ fun," Octavia replied as she headed into the kitchen.

"No Monopoly," Clarke immediately disagreed, "or do I need to remind everyone of the Great Monopoly Incident that happened on New Year's Eve two years ago?"

"What happened?" Marcus asked as his curiosity peaked.

"Octavia was dominating–"

"As I always do at Monopoly," Octavia interrupted Raven.

"And she went psychotic after Clarke pulled a win out of her ass in the last few moves of the game," Raven continued.

"She was cheating!" Octavia nearly screamed as she pointed at Clarke. "You had money stuffed up your sleeve... I saw it creased and all wrinkled up!"

Clarke rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh at her friend's animated recollection.

"You almost sent me to the hospital, O," Clarke reminded her.

"How was I supposed to know that plastic hotel would come up and hit you in the eye?" Octavia argued.

"Because you're the one who slammed her fist down on the table so hard it nearly broke in two!" Clarke fought back.

"It's not my fault you're accident-prone," Octavia quipped.

"Wha– I am _not_!" Clarke continued to banter.

"That burn scar on your forearm begs to differ," Octavia concluded as she lifted her freshly mixed drink to her lips.

Lexa couldn't help but frown just the tiniest bit as she looked down to Clarke's arm, remembering how Clarke had told her she burned it during her practice run making a homemade cheesecake for her birthday as a surprise. She reached out and brushed her fingertips along the scar, and Clarke nudged her to get her attention. The kiss to her lips was quick and chaste, but it silently told Lexa not to worry and that it no longer hurt. They shared a smile and intertwined their fingers before turning their attention back to their friends.

"Alright, kids," Anya interjected, "enough fighting."

"Yeah, let's just play a game and stop being such bitches," Raven said pointedly.

"Hey, who are you calling a bitch?" Lincoln piped up.

"Wow," Raven said sarcastically, "I almost forgot you were here."

Lincoln not-so-subtly scratched his nose with his middle finger, and Raven just shrugged while everyone else in the apartment laughed.

"Well, if everyone is done being so dramatic," Octavia started, "I was thinking more along the lines of Truth or Dare."

"No way," Abby immediately declined, knowing full well she would be dared to do something more outrageous than she'd ever even be able to imagine.

"What about Truth or Truth?" Anya suggested to the group.

"Truth or truth?" Lincoln echoed. "That sounds lame..."

"Not until you start hearing everyone's deepest and darkest secrets," Anya replied with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"So I'm thinking we should probably make our exit," Abby said quietly to Marcus who moved to follow her up from their seats.

"Why?" Raven quickly asked. "Afraid of what we'll find out, Dr. G?"

"Watch it," Abby said as she glared playfully at Raven, "or I'll have to take back what I said about adopting you."

Raven just giggled and took another swig of her drink.

"Alright, alright," Anya cut in. "How about Truth or Truth with dice? If you roll doubles, you get to ask someone in the group a truth."

"Don't worry, Abby," Octavia said as she leaned over the counter, "we promise we'll keep it clean."

Abby narrowed her eyes and before she could protest, a small pan and two dice were being passed around the room. It went through the group twice until Clarke finally rolled two four's and looked straight at Octavia.

"When was the last time you peed your pants?" She asked with wide eyes and a smirk.

"You... bitch..." Octavia muttered under her breath, and Clarke just laughed.

"Yeah, consider this payback for the Monopoly incident," Clarke said as she nodded and smiled sweetly.

Octavia shook her head a few times and huffed out a small laugh before sighing loudly and licking her lips a few times. She was obviously struggling to tell the group the truth, which made the group that much more interested to know the answer.

"I was on a roller coaster," Octavia began through gritted teeth, "with Clarke," she said with a glare at the blonde, "and she was singing some dumb ass song she made up..."

"Which was _obviously_ hilarious enough for you to pee your pants listening to," Clarke cut in happily as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Lexa stifled a snort and readjusted herself in her seat as to not bring attention to the fact she was trying not to laugh. A few others in the group had to turn their faces away as well, and Abby slyly put a hand over her mouth to shield her smile.

"So when was that, O?" Clarke asked feigning ignorance.

"You're asking for it, Griffin," Anya muttered under her breath.

"It was on our senior class trip," Octavia finally answered as her head bobbed side-to-side with attitude.

"Make sure you're prepared for karaoke at our wedding," Lincoln teased his fiancée.

Octavia whipped her head around to stare in shock at what her fiancé had just said, and the others in the group watched on and erupted into laughter as the small brunette leaped through the air and landed across Lincoln's legs before punching him as hard as she could in the bicep. He cringed and laughed at the same time, rubbing at his arm as she untangled herself from his lap and walked back towards her chair.

"You just wait for your question, Griffin," Octavia threatened as she pointed her finger at Clarke. "Your mom's here."

Clarke's smile immediately fell from her mouth as she realized how strong an upper hand Octavia had for that very fact. Pretty much any embarrassing thing she could ask would be that much more embarrassing to answer with her mother sitting there listening. Suddenly her mouth went a little dry, and she was reaching for her drink.

"Doubles!" Anya yelled as she looked over to Raven. "What is something that you have never told anyone?"

"I'm afraid of ladybugs," Raven quickly said with a shrug.

"Liar," Octavia scoffed.

"Yeah, even if that was true," Anya piped up, "that was nowhere near juicy enough to count as a legitimate answer."

"Yeah," Lincoln backed her up. "Spill it!"

Raven sighed and pressed her lips into a thin smile as she thought about something she could tell that might please her friends. With one last look towards Octavia, Raven turned her attention back to Anya and didn't break eye contact the entire time she was speaking.

"Finn Collins wasn't my first kiss," she confessed. "My first kiss was in the seventh grade with a girl named Roma."

Everyone's mouths dropped open in shock, and Marcus eyed each of them carefully knowing that this little piece of information Raven had just shared probably wasn't so little after all.

"You never told me that!" Octavia broke the silence.

"That was kind of the point of the question," Raven informed her smugly.

"Yeah, but... how come you never told me that?" Octavia wanted to know.

"Well, we didn't know each other then," Raven explained nonchalantly, "and I really didn't even consider it a real first kiss for a while."

"Wow," Clarke said with a smirk, "Raven Reyes always surprises."

"Always," Raven confirmed before shooting a wink at Anya.

"Are you blushing?" Lexa asked her friend, eager to embarrass her even more if she actually was blushing... something she'd never seen the girl do in her entire life.

"What? No," Anya faltered as she quickly handed the dice off to Clarke. "Here... roll..."

Lexa squinted at Anya, and Anya just glared back until Octavia was cheering that she'd rolled doubles. She sat the pan with the dice inside on top of her lap and looked straight over at Clarke, who was beginning to fidget under her gaze knowing an equally embarrassing question was about to be asked of her as she asked of Octavia at the beginning of the game.

"What was your most embarrassing moment in college?" Octavia asked, knowing full well the events of which night Clarke would be confessing because Octavia just so happened to have been there with her.

Clarke huffed out an annoyed chuckle and shook her head back and forth a few times before finding her words.

"Eight years," Clarke said in disbelief, "I managed eight years without my mom finding out about this."

The group laughed in response but waited for Clarke to continue nonetheless.

"You're the devil," Clarke told Octavia with a playful glare.

The brunette raised her hands on either side of her head and made a popping noise with her mouth as she shot her index fingers up to mimic horns.

"My freshman year, I went to this party," Clarke started with a sigh.

" _We_ went to this party," Octavia corrected her quickly. "It was a frat party that freshmen weren't even supposed to be invited to, but Griffin's girls over there got us an all-access pass."

Abby eyed her daughter, who was blushing profusely and trying to surreptitiously cover her chest behind her arms as she scratched at the side of her neck.

"We were already drunk–"

"Who's telling this story anyways?" Clarke interrupted Octavia, knowing she would throw in more sordid details than necessary.

"Fine," Octavia said as she waved her hand as if to allow Clarke to continue, "just get to the good part."

"We were _all_ drunk," Clarke explained, "really drunk..."

"Really, _really_ drunk," Octavia chimed in again as she nodded rapidly.

"Yes, really, really drunk," Clarke repeated quickly, "and I found myself outside with this really cute guy I stopped as he was walking by. I hadn't seen him before, but it was a big campus so I figured a little flirting wouldn't do anyone any harm..."

"Flirting?!" Octavia interjected again. "You practically pounced on–"

"Octavia!" Clarke squealed. "Please!"

Octavia bounced her leg as if she was dying to share every last detail about that night, but Clarke was adamant that some things would be better left unsaid. Clarke chanced a look over to Lexa who was biting back a smile, but her eyebrows were raised as if she was very interested in seeing where this story would lead. Clarke sighed again and looked back to the rest of the group before continuing.

"Anyways, I ended up trying to kiss him," Clarke admitted, "Octavia saw the whole thing go down from a bedroom window in the frat house upstairs... which I'm still wondering what the hell she was even doing up there in the first place..."

Octavia gave her a confused look and shrugged her shoulders before darting her eyes around the room and taking a few lips of her drink.

"So what's the big deal?" Lincoln asked. "You kissed some random guy at a party? Who hasn't?"

Everyone turned to look over at Lincoln, who was suddenly looking mortified by what he had just said.

"I mean a random _person_ ," Lincoln hastily clarified. "I've never kissed a guy."

"Why don't you just wait for your turn there, Linc," Anya said through a smirk, and the rest of the group laughed.

"So the big deal was that this _random_ guy wasn't so random after all," Octavia jumped back to the subject at hand.

"He was at the time I tried to kiss him," Clarke replied.

"Tell them about how you puked on him!" Octavia exclaimed as she pointed at Clarke.

"I puked on him," Clarke deadpanned, and the room responded with more laughter.

"So why did he end up being not so random?" Raven questioned.

"Well, I met him the next morning in one of my classes," Clarke said as she looked around awkwardly.

"He was her professor!" Octavia blurted out.

"You kissed your professor, Clarke?!" Abby finally spoke up in utter shock.

"I was drunk!" Clarke tried to defend herself. "I wouldn't have kissed him if I wasn't drunk."

"Well that's comforting," Abby said sarcastically, knowing that Clarke drinking as a freshman meant she was drinking underage to begin with let alone taking into consideration the antics with her professor.

"He pushed the garbage can under her desk during class!" Octavia continued as she broke into another fit of giggles, followed quickly by Raven's laughter as well.

"Yeah," Clarke confirmed, "I was mortified, so I dropped his class."

"Wait... Freshman year... English Lit?" Abby questioned. "You told me you double-scheduled a class and that's why you had to drop it!"

"Yeah, well I didn't want a lecture from you at the time," Clarke said honestly.

"Who even _asked_ this question?" Anya asked as she blinked away the tears collected in her eyes from laughing. Octavia raised her hand, and Anya voiced her appreciation.

The dice were passed around the group several more times, and several more drinks were poured and consumed which left all of them to feel the buzz of the alcohol quite nicely. As a result, the questions were getting a bit looser and the blushes on faces were getting a bit darker as everyone was made to answer more embarrassing questions as the night progressed. The ironic thing about the game though was that even as the questions became more personal, the willingness to answer honestly became easier as the effects of the liquid courage everyone was sipping on was taking its toll.

"Double, double, double!" Anya chirped as she pumped her fist in the air. "Clarke!"

"Bring it on," Clarke encouraged in her current state of more than buzzed but less than drunk.

"What was your sexiest sexy time ever?" Anya asked with a wag of her eyebrows.

"With Lexa," Octavia added in for good measure.

"I can't answer that," Clarke said with a smile as she shook her head.

"Why not?" Anya prodded.

"Because she would kill me if I did," Clarke said as she pointed to an already blushing Lexa, "and I'm not going to talk about that in front of my mom and her boyfriend anyways."

"Fine but just be vague about it," Raven offered along with an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders.

"It's not like your mom doesn't know you two are having sex," Octavia pointed out the obvious as Abby smirked as if she was agreeing.

"You're adults," Abby spoke up with the aid of her fourth drink of the night, "I'd assumed as much was happening, especially based on what I've already seen, but I would certainly appreciate a little vagueness."

The rest of the group cheered loudly and urged Clarke to answer the question.

"Alright," Clarke finally said loudly to get everyone's attention. "All I will tell you is that it involved my dining room table."

Lexa's face lit up in a fiery red blush as she remembered that very moment almost as vividly as she had lived it and raised her cup to her lips for a few long chugs. The entire group noticed and burst into laughter, and Clarke even joined in as she watched her embarrassed girlfriend fidget beside her. She reached over and gave Lexa's knee a small squeeze, and Lexa responded by shooting her a glare as her blush began to settle to just a dusting over the tops of her cheeks.

"Wait, you said your dining room table?" Octavia finally realized. "That's _my_ dining room table!"

"You gave it to me!" Clarke volleyed back.

"Not if I knew you were going to be having sex on it!" Octavia screeched.

"I wasn't even the one on it–"

Lexa clamped her hand over Clarke's mouth in a desperate attempt to stop the blonde from saying anything else that would threaten to make the blush decorating her cheeks a permanent adornment. Abby was almost doubled over in laughter at this point, and Marcus was barely able to hold her upright through his own chuckling as well. Luckily Clarke got the hint and didn't say anything further, much to Lexa's relief. After everyone had settled down a bit, the dice continued to circle around the group until Raven rolled doubles.

"Marcus," Raven spoke up loudly, "what is your biggest turn on?"

"That Abby does," Octavia added as she shot Clarke a glare. "This is payback for the sex you had on my table."

" _My_ table," Clarke countered.

"Marcus! Turn on! Go!" Anya shouted excitedly.

"I, uh..." Marcus stumbled over his words as he tried to find the most eloquent way to say what he wanted to say. "I guess it would be... my earlobe... and Abby, she'll... do this little nibbling–"

"LA-LA-LA-LA!" Clarke suddenly yelled as she shoved her fingers into her ears to try and block out whatever else Marcus was about to say.

"I just had to hear about you and Lexa on a table," Abby said enthusiastically, "I think you could stand a little of your own medicine."

"You're my _mother_!" Clarke finally replied as she unplugged her ears.

"You're my _daughter_!" Abby shot back in defense.

"This is the best thing we have ever done in our entire lives," Anya broke in and the group, minus mother and daughter, erupted into a fit of laughter once again.

* * *

"I can't believe we're moving to San Francisco together," Lexa mumbled wistfully as she brushed another kiss against Clarke's lips. They were lying in Clarke's bed, naked and entangled in one another, after having just come down from the lingering effects of an orgasm each.

"I can't believe we're having sex when we're supposed to be getting ready for Octavia's wedding," Clarke replied with her eyes closed as Lexa's lips moved from hers and down to her neck.

She felt Lexa smile against her skin before it was being assaulted with slow, soft, and meaningful kisses for a few long moments before Lexa hummed against her neck and finally spoke.

"If Octavia knew what you looked like naked she would understand," Lexa offered as she slid her left hand to rest on Clarke's hip.

"Octavia has seen me naked," Clarke said as she continued to bask in Lexa's gentle touches.

Suddenly, Lexa's plump lips were off of her skin, and she pushed herself up just enough to hover over Clarke's face as Clarke blinked her eyes open to figure out why her girlfriend had stopped.

"She has?" Lexa asked. "When?"

"Lexa, we've known each other since High School and have been roommates since Freshman year at Columbia," Clarke said as she trailed her fingertips along her best friend's forearm. "I've seen _her_ naked more times than I can count."

Lexa silently thought about the fact that her idea that she was the only one in their group to share such an intimacy with Clarke was no longer true, and her bottom lip pushed itself forward into a small pout. Clarke, however, thought it was adorable and leaned up to capture that very lip between her own before swiping her tongue over it slowly. Lexa denied her entrance, still worrying her mind about the tidbit of information she'd just learned from Clarke, but continued kissing her lightly. Clarke got the message and leaned back from the kiss to look up into clouded green eyes.

"Lex," she purred softly, "stop thinking so hard."

"I'm not," Lexa answered automatically.

"You are the only one who gets to kiss me," Clarke rasped as her voice dropped.

Lexa looked down at Clarke's lips as she felt her own hand being slowly drawn up creamy white skin to rest gently on the swell of her breast.

"You are the only one who gets to touch me," Clarke continued.

Lexa instinctively cupped the soft mound as her eyes flicked between Clarke's eyes and her bottom lip that was now drawn between her teeth.

"You are the only one who gets to taste me," Clarke whispered.

As her desire reignited into a fiery blaze, Lexa released a breath against Clarke's neck before she attached her lips to the soft skin there. She kneaded the soft breast under her palm as she skated kisses down Clarke's neck and onto her chest, whimpering softly as the renewed ache between her legs threatened to undo her. Just as her mouth began to wander lower, Lexa felt a tug on her hips and a thigh between her legs. She lifted her eyes to Clarke's in silent question as she felt insistent hands carefully guiding her back and forth across the tight skin on the leg below her.

Lexa straightened on top of the blonde slightly, resting more of her weight on her knees as she rocked slowly, and her eyes drifted shut as her lips parted to let a steady string of quiet moans spill from her lungs with every other stroke she lost herself to. She felt selfish, she felt vulnerable, she felt alive. As clouded green eyes chanced a glance down to dark blue ones, Lexa felt herself hesitate for just a moment before Clarke spoke softly.

"Together," she whispered before their lips entangled once again.

Lexa was lost. Every thought she was thinking, every emotion she was feeling, every hope that she was harboring in her heart, soul, and mind came pouring from her lips, and she felt the world around her slip away. There was nothing left but Clarke. The taste of her lips, the sound of her breath, the feel of her skin. Nothing else mattered except for that moment, and in that moment she was found.

Lexa stilled the movement of her hips as she worked gently but with intent to build Clarke up to the point she herself had been just a few moments earlier before she felt Clarke's hands urging her to continue. Their breaths came in steady gasps, each of them staring at the other through heavily lidded eyes until their movements became desperate as they pushed and pulled each other closer and closer to release. The way Lexa's name fell from Clarke's lips as she came was enough to send Lexa into her own orgasm, nearly rendering her unable to move as the waves of pleasure crashed over her body and left her trembling in aftershock.

Lexa could feel a thin sheen of sweat building under her forehead where it rested against Clarke's heaving chest as her pants of breath skipping along flushed skin only added to the heat between them. She felt the gentle pull of fingers though her hair and finally raised her head to stare up into the blue eyes, glassy with unshed tears, that she hoped to be staring into for the rest of her life.

"What's wrong?" Lexa asked, knitting her eyebrows together as a look of unmitigated concern overtook her expression.

"I just love you," Clarke whispered as she swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed past her urge to cry in her lover's arms.

"I love you too," Lexa replied softly, "maybe more than you know."

Clarke studied Lexa's face for a few silent seconds, flicking her gaze between her eyes, her lips, up her jawline and across her cheeks, until she felt herself smiling lightly.

Clarke nodded in silent agreement and brushed the pads of her fingertips over Lexa's bottom lip before biting her own.

"I'm also quite aware now of how much of a top you _can_ be," Clarke said as she raised an eyebrow and flexed the thigh still trapped between Lexa's legs.

Before the blush could break out on Lexa's cheeks, she was burying her face into Clarke's neck and groaning with embarrassment as the thoughts of her movements atop the blonde came rushing back into her memories. Clarke lost herself in a fit of giggles as she felt the brunette attempt to hide herself even further by pulling the sheets over her head. Before the fabric could cover them completely, Clarke's hands found Lexa's sides and squeezed purposefully. Lexa squealed as Clarke continued to tickle her, helpless to stop Clarke from flipping their positions and hovering over the top of her.

"And the rightful top takes her place once again!" Clarke teased loudly over Lexa's protests.

Knowing the only way out of the precarious position she'd found herself in, Lexa used the only thing she could think of against Clarke: her strength. With a single push of her hips, she jolted Clarke from her position on top and sent her tumbling to the other side of the bed. What she didn't expect was for Clarke to continue her roll and hit the floor running. She screamed in delight when she heard Lexa hot on her trail, only to be showered with kisses and soft touches while they stood together under the hot stream of water in the shower as they finally got ready for the wedding.

* * *

To their credit, Clarke and Lexa were only fifteen minutes later than when they'd told everyone they would be there. Abby barely noticed their tardiness before she came rushing over to give them each a hug and gush about how beautiful they looked. Clarke was wearing a blush colored dress made of fine Chiffon that flowed flawlessly down to kiss the floor. The design of the bodice crossed over itself once at her chest, which worked to modestly frame her breasts perfectly, and the back came together in a delicate corset. Her hair was pinned into a stylish updo with a few loose curls hanging down against her cheeks, and Abby told her daughter she'd never seen her look so beautiful before.

Lexa was wearing, what Clarke came to find out that morning, was the dress she had bought during their girls day brunch before Octavia's surprise engagement party. The dress was dark blue and fell just about at Lexa's mid-calf and was layered with a hand stitched black lace overlay that looked simply bold in pair with the jet black designer heels and black leather clutch in Lexa's hand. Her hair was down, flowing gently over her shoulder and curling a few times at the ends, and her makeup was to be envied by every woman there. Abby complimented her as well, taking the time to cup Lexa's cheek gently as she spoke.

"Is Lincoln here yet?" Clarke asked her mother.

"Yes," Abby answered as she gestured down the hallway. "He's in the den with Marcus."

"I'm going to go check on him quick before we go find Octavia," Clarke said, and Lexa nodded in understanding.

She left Lexa and her mother and quickly crutched her way down the hallway of her childhood home towards her father's study. She hadn't gone into that room much since her dad passed away, but it wasn't something she was overly concerned with at the moment. She knew she wanted to see her friend and give him a little pep-talk before the ceremony because if she knew him but at all, she knew he would be a useless bag of nerves already.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Marcus fiddling with a small flower boutonniere on Lincoln's lapel. They both looked over towards Clarke, and Marcus sighed in relief. He asked if she could help him with the flower pinning, and Clarke smiled and agreed immediately. She went to work straight away as Marcus politely excused himself for the time being, leaving Lincoln and Clarke alone. With one final thread of the needle through the flowers, Clarke smoothed out the fabric on his lapel and stood back a few inches. She lingered her hands over Lincoln's chest as tears sprung to her eyes.

He was a vision, standing as if Anya had taught him how to mimic a soldier at attention, and was dressed in a deep black suit, white dress shirt, and an ivory silk necktie. She blinked a few times, willing herself not to cry, and reached down to pick up the matching silk pocket square to fold it quickly and fit it into the front breast pocket of Lincoln's suit.

"Oh, good," Lincoln said appreciatively, "we weren't sure what to do with that."

Clarke just laughed and smoothed out his suit one last time before looking back up into her friend's eyes.

"This is a big day," Clarke simply said.

"It is," Lincoln agreed with a small nod.

"You're a lucky man," Clarke reminded him.

"I know," Lincoln replied. "I've got the real deal."

She'd heard him say that very phrase countless times in the past and knew at that very moment that what he and Octavia had, together, was the real deal. Clarke blinked back her tears again and smiled sweetly at Lincoln, grabbing his wrists in her hands and shaking his arms lightly as if to loosen him up. He smiled in response and let himself relax a bit, knowing by now that Clarke had come in to visit him for this very reason. He took a few deep breaths and watched as she leaned her crutches against the edge of her father's desk and loop her arms around his neck. He closed his eyes and lost himself for a few seconds in Clarke's warm embrace before they pulled away and shared a smile.

"I love you, Lincoln," Clarke said as her eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears. "You are about as close to being worthy of Octavia as possible, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are so happy for you two."

"I love you too, Clarke," Lincoln rasped and nodded a few times as he tried to fight his emotions as well.

"And I also think I speak for everyone when I say that if you even think about hurting her," Clarke began with a smirk, "you will have four crazy bitches after you before you'll even know what hit you."

Lincoln laughed and shook his head, knowing she was joking to lighten the mood but also knowing that the statement was absolutely true. He didn't plan on hurting Octavia now or any time in the future, and he couldn't wait to stand up in front of everyone to declare exactly that. Clarke handed over the wedding band she had been keeping for Lincoln so that Octavia wouldn't see it and squeezed his arm affectionately before balancing herself back onto her crutches and going in search of Octavia.

 _"If you mess up my hair, I'm going to slap you,"_ Clarke heard Octavia say from the bedroom at the back of the house as she made her way through the kitchen.

 _"Well, then hold still."_

Clarke chuckled this time after hearing Lexa's voice as her memories brought her back to the afternoon they had all spent wedding dress shopping with Octavia. Lexa had been the designated dresser after all, seeing as she was technically the tallest in the group, but the total lack of gracefulness and coordination Lexa and Octavia had when they were together made the actual dressing part way more difficult than it ever should be... but of course that made it way more comical to everyone else watching as well.

"I hear they haven't killed each other yet," Clarke said to Raven as she opened the door and slipped into the bedroom, "so that's good."

"Yeah, the slap threat was just one among many," Raven said as she rolled her eyes. "Just give it a bit more time."

"You look incredible, Rae," Clarke complimented her friend through a wide smile.

Raven was wearing a long brown dress that seemed to be the perfect match to the shade of her eyes. It cut low in the front and even lower in the back, which was showed off by the fact that Raven's hair was pinned up around her head and secured with a few delicate braids and some fresh flowers peeking out randomly between curls and folds. Clarke noticed immediately that it matched the way Octavia's hair had been prepared, and she felt herself smiling at the coordination. Raven's ears sparkled with what looked like real diamond earrings, and Clarke raised her fingers immediately to brush over the jewelry.

"These are beautiful," Clarke breathed out as her eyes widened.

"They're from Octavia," Raven offered with a smile.

"Maid of honor gift and all that," Octavia muttered as she pulled on the straps of her dress while Lexa stooped down to smooth out the fabric on her legs. "Don't get too handsy there, Woods, your girlfriend is literally like _right there_."

Lexa shot Octavia a look and stood up quickly, and Clarke simply laughed.

"Be still my beating heart," Anya said from the doorway as she slipped in and smirked over at Octavia. "You... are... beautiful."

"Compliments from a soldier," Octavia gushed dramatically, "they're the best."

"So what's the plan here?" Anya asked. "Are we taking pictures first? When does the ceremony start? Did you hire a bartender?"

The group laughed, and Raven was quick to inform Anya that there was indeed a bartender and a fully stocked bar for the entire day and night. Anya immediately approved before heading over to Octavia to give her a hug, carefully as to not mess up her hair or makeup or dress or anything else she knew would get her killed, before making her way to sit in a chair next to Raven. They chatted for a while as Octavia pushed and pulled the last few pieces of her dress into place, and the room fell into a quiet lull as Abby pushed herself into the bedroom. With a few tears already leaking from her eyes, Abby smiled at Octavia and walked over to the beaming bride to wrap her up in a strong hug. They pulled away after a few seconds, and Abby wiped at her cheeks before pulling her hands up to reveal a small blue velvet pouch.

"Most mothers give their daughters something on their wedding day," Abby began quietly as her emotions broke over her voice, "usually a family heirloom or a small token that holds sentimental value to you both."

Octavia nodded as she tried to force down the painful lump in her throat as she choked back her tears.

"Unfortunately I don't have anything like that for you," Abby said with regret, "but I do have this."

The entire room was silent as Abby shook the small pouch to empty a silver necklace into the palm of her hand. Octavia's eyebrows furrowed as she studied the delicate piece of jewelry, recognizing it immediately as something she had seen Abby wear more times than she could count. The chain was simple but brilliantly lustrous and glistened each time the light hit it from a different angle. Hanging from it was a small heart-shaped pendant, decorated with a few small diamond studs on the side. Octavia opened her mouth to speak, to protest, but no words came out.

"When I became the chief of cardiothoracic surgery, your mom and I went out to celebrate," Abby explained through even more of her tears, "and she gave me this necklace."

The walls Octavia had so fiercely been constructing around herself so that she could just keep it together and not cry on her wedding day came crashing down, and a few tears slipped from her eyes as a sob wrenched itself from her chest.

"And I'd like to give it to you now," Abby said as she lifted Octavia's hand to lay it across her palm.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as Octavia clutched the necklace in her hand and crashed herself into Abby's waiting arms. They hugged tightly for several long moments, and Clarke rushed tissues over to each of them so that tears wouldn't fall on either of their dresses or ruin either of their makeup too badly. After a few more moments of sniffles and emotional chuckles, they finally parted and stared fondly at each other in silence.

"I'm fucking furious that you made me cry before my wedding," Octavia said to Abby which earned a laugh from the group, "but I can't thank you enough."

Abby nodded and placed her hand on Octavia's cheek before turning away to excuse herself from the room. She reached for Clarke's hand as she left, giving it a little squeeze, and Clarke bit back more of her own tears at the small act. It was like her mother was reminding her that even though she'd just shared a touching moment with someone she looked at as a daughter, there was no replacing the immeasurable love she had for her own daughter.

"Dammit, can someone find me some concealer?" Octavia asked as she looked at face in the mirror.

Lexa immediately moved to look through the few bags of cosmetics on the dresser, handing a tube over to the bride-to-be quickly and waiting for any additional requests that may follow. When none came and Octavia was pleased with her face once again, she turned around to see all of her friends gathered close with smiles on their faces and sparkles of tears in their eyes.

"You're getting married today," Clarke finally broke the silence.

"I can't believe it," Octavia said as she grinned widely and shook her head lightly. "I can't..."

"Stop," Raven immediately said as she widened her eyes and stood from her seat. She wobbled a few times before regaining her balance and looked seriously at her best friend. "I can see you starting to freak out, so you need to stop and remember that Lincoln is the love of your life and that you've been waiting for this moment since you were a little girl in diapers."

"In diapers?" Octavia said as she cringed. "I wasn't thinking about my wedding while I was in diapers."

"You weren't thinking about your wedding by your senior year in high school?" Raven asked innocently as she teased back to the embarrassing truth that had been revealed about Octavia during the Truth or Truth game they'd all played earlier that week.

"Raven, I swear to–" Octavia started as she raised her hand.

"Don't hit the cripple!" Raven warned loudly.

Octavia froze to let a wicked smirk spill across her face.

"You're not the cripple anymore," she retorted and promptly punched Raven in the upper arm.

Hard.

Twice.

Raven and the other girls just laughed in response, and they all shared a few hugs before it was almost time to head outside to take a few pictures and start the ceremony. A quiet knock on the door brought all of their attention away from each other, and they stared as the door opened to reveal Bellamy peaking his head into the room.

"O?" He asked tentatively as he tried to look past the familiar faces to find his sister's.

He opened the door the rest of the way, revealing him in a stylish black suit, light blue dress shirt, and a dark blue patterned necktie. Clarke noticed he wore on his lapel a similar bunch of flowers as she'd pinned on Lincoln, noting that her mother likely helped Bellamy with his when he had arrived. Bellamy's gaze finally landed on Octavia, and it was clear to everyone in the room that he was blinking back tears as he stood up a little straighter and studied the vision in front of him. Clarke made the first move towards the door, and all of her friends quickly followed to leave brother and sister alone for a few moments.

The big reveal pictures had been taken, and just as everyone had expected, Lincoln had shed a few tears when he finally was able to see his wife-to-be in her wedding dress. They posed for the photographer for about twenty minutes before everyone in the wedding party made their way into their positions. Since Octavia and Lincoln shared the majority of their close friends, and neither of them had extended family, the actual wedding party was a little non-conventional. Octavia had asked Raven to be her maid of honor, while Lexa and Clarke and Anya served as bridesmaids, but Lincoln didn't have a best man (technically) although it could be argued that Bellamy was a step-in. He didn't have anyone he considered a close enough friend at work to ask to be in the wedding, so he and Octavia had just decided to have their friends stand with them –uneven as they would be– to support them in celebration of their union.

"I, Lincoln, take Octavia to be my wife. To love... and to honor... and to cherish... forever."

"I, Octavia, take Lincoln to be my husband. To love and to honor and to cherish... forever."

Cheers and clapping rang out as Lincoln and Octavia finally met in a tender kiss as husband and wife, and Clarke found herself gripping Lexa's hand tightly as Lexa held it just as firmly. It was an emotional moment for all of them, and everyone at the front of the crowd was crying with tears of joy. In an unexpected move, the crowd laughed as Lincoln bent over to scoop Octavia into his arms before dashing back down the short aisle between the grouping of chairs on the back lawn and quickly whisked her away and into the house to steal a few more heated kisses from her before the real celebration started.

The alcohol began to flow, and the bride and groom finally made an appearance after... no one was really sure how long... and everyone began to mingle. The food was served by waiters holding serving trays as everything had been prepared in hors d'oeuvre form and ready to be eaten in a single bite. Clarke and Lexa sat at a table as they sipped their wine and snacked on a few treats while they watched the happy couple receive congratulations from each one of their guests. Clarke's eyes fell over to where her mother was standing with Marcus, quickly taking notice of the way she was leaning into him as he spoke softly to her. It tugged at Clarke's heartstrings for just a moment before a sense of realization and acceptance washed over her. Perhaps her mother had found in Marcus what Clarke felt she had found in Lexa.

"I love you," Clarke said as she dreamily smiled at her girlfriend.

Lexa turned her attention over to Clarke and finished the last couple of chews of the bite of food in her mouth and smiled just as kindly in return.

"I love you too," she said quietly before leaning over and placing a soft kiss on Clarke's lips.

"Sorry not sorry to break up this love fest," Anya said as she sat down and smirked at her friends, "but I had to make sure you two didn't jump each other's bones in front of Clarke's mom again."

"Ugh," Clarke groaned as she leaned back to grab her wine glass, "have you been talking to Raven?"

"Yeah," Anya said through a laugh before taking a long pull from her own drink.

"Then remember that ninety-eight percent of what Raven says is untrue," Lexa reminded her.

"I'd say more like ninety-seven point five percent," Raven chimed in from behind the brunette. "By the way, Lexa, you look _so_ nice tonight."

Lexa just glared at Raven in response, as did Clarke, but Anya broke out into a fit of laughter. This girl was going to be the death of her, and she knew it.

"So are you ready for your big moment?" Clarke asked Raven as she nodded towards the small clearing where people were already dancing.

"I hope so," Raven said as she gingerly sat down and straightened her bad leg slowly. "I'm more worried that no one will ask me to dance."

"What?" Clarke said disbelievingly. "You're gorgeous, Rae, even though you're an ass to my girlfriend."

Raven rolled her eyes dismissively and kept silent. She looked out at the couples dancing and sighed, suddenly feeling nervous if she would even be able to dance. She'd tried it a few times, alone, in her apartment over the last week but it almost always ended in cursing, crying, and throwing things. Lexa looked over to Anya who seemed to be watching Raven with an overly-concerned expression on her face, and it gave Lexa pause. She tried to map out the emotions playing in her friend's eyes but couldn't before Anya was looking back at her and then standing up abruptly, making her way back towards the bar. Lexa excused herself and stalked after Anya indiscreetly.

As they both sidled up to the bar, Anya flicked her gaze over towards Lexa for just a second before looking back at the beer bottle being slid over to her in silence. Lexa waived the bartender off politely and studied her friend for a few moments longer before speaking.

"You can ask her to dance you know," she said quietly. "It would be the perfect excuse."

"Excuse?" Anya repeated as she turned her attention towards Lexa.

"Remember how you always told me how painfully obvious it was that I was pining over Clarke?" Lexa asked.

"I'm not pining," Anya shot back.

"Maybe not," Lexa said with a small shrug, "but you do like her."

Anya narrowed her eyes at Lexa but said nothing.

"So go ask her to dance," Lexa continued. "What's the worst she could say?"

"No?" Anya offered with a scoff.

"Yeah, no," Lexa repeated. "No is the worst she could say. It's not like she'll stop wanting to be friends or something."

Anya drew in a long breath and let it out of her lungs slowly before taking a few hearty swigs of her drink and sliding the bottle towards Lexa. She smiled and grabbed it as she watched Anya turn, hesitating for just a moment, and then started walking back towards the table where Raven and Clarke were sitting. Her heart raced faster the closer she got, but Anya was determined not to let her fear of rejection show as she slowly stepped up to Raven. She swallowed as a hesitant gaze was raised to her own and extended her hand towards the brunette.

"May I have this dance?"

"Yes," Raven quietly replied as a smile grew on her face, "but you're going to have to help me get over there."

Anya let a small grin spread slowly across her face as she felt Raven's hand slip into hers and tug hard. Luckily all of her years in the military had afforded her with a sturdy frame, and she barely moved an inch as Raven pulled herself up and leaned most of her weight onto her crooked arm before they walked slowly towards the dance area. Anya hadn't thought this all the way through, and she felt herself suddenly tense with nervousness as they faced each other to begin their dance. She could have sworn Raven looked just as nervous but was thankful when she felt a hand come to rest around her shoulder as the fingers on her left hand were being wound around the fingers on Raven's right.

As Anya slipped her free hand down to rest against the small of Raven's back, she pulled herself even closer to the girl until they were breathing the same air. Anya carefully studied the eyes of the girl in front of her, trying to catch every detail of the shapes and every shade of the colors that she could make out under the amber hues of the setting sun. The beat of the music filled their ears, and Anya barely registered the soft touch against her cheek until she realized she was no longer looking into those deep brown eyes. She fought the urge to swallow nervously as Raven's cheek brushed up against her own, and instead she just closed her eyes and held her dance partner closer as they swayed gently until the song had finished and transitioned into one with a more upbeat tempo.

"May I cut in?" Octavia asked as she placed a hand on Anya's shoulder.

Under normal circumstances, Anya would have been disappointed. She would have selfishly but silently cursed Octavia for disrupting this moment, this intensely terrifyingly wonderful moment, but she knew Raven was probably only good for a dance or two while her leg still wasn't fully healed. Anya stepped away from Raven with a genuine smile on her face and nodded, carefully handing the brunette off to Octavia and heading away from the dance area until her arm was caught. Lexa yanked Anya back to join her and Clarke and Lincoln in their own little dance party nearby.

"I can't dance this fast," Raven said as she referred to the quick tempo of the song playing and stood awkwardly in front of her best friend.

"Who says we have to dance fast?" Octavia asked as she wrapped both of her arms around Raven's waist and pulled her close.

Raven smiled and hooked both of her arms around Octavia's neck, finding relief in being able to lean most of her weight against her friend as they began to sway. They continued that way for a while until Raven realized something important.

"Did you and Lincoln have your first dance already?" She asked as she pulled her head back.

"Not yet," Octavia answered honestly.

"Isn't the whole point of your first dance of your wedding night to be with your husband?" Raven asked in a slightly panic-stricken tone of voice.

"I've danced with Lincoln thousands of times," Octavia replied with a smile.

"You've danced with me thousands of times too," Raven quipped.

Octavia's smile faded as her expression changed to sincerity, and she looked between Raven's eyes a few times before speaking.

"Not like this," she whispered.

Raven clenched her jaw and bit back her tears, knowing that her best friend was referring to the fact that over all of the years they had known each other, through all of the dances they had shared together, they had never before danced without a piece of metal between them. As she regained control of her emotions even just for the time being, Raven took in a deep breath and spoke softly.

"It probably wouldn't be a good idea to dip me, would it?" She asked with a grin.

"Probably not," Octavia laughed.

Before she knew what was happening, Octavia felt a small nudge against her legs and took a tiny step to the side. Followed by another. And another. She watched as Raven tried not to grimace as she moved, trying not to let it break her heart to know her best friend was in pain, and followed in silent consent as Raven struggled to move the two of them around in a proper circle as if they were dancing like everyone else would be. Octavia felt her chest clench when she saw a single tear slip down Raven's cheek as the determined brunette willed herself to keep moving, to keep stepping, to keep going, until the circle was complete. By the time they had ended up in the same position from where they had started, both girls were a blubbering mess as they clutched each other and cried tears of joy and of pain and of love until the sun had set behind them, disappearing beneath the dusky horizon.

* * *

 **About one year later...**

The sounds of renovations had finally come to a halt. For the past ten months all that echoed in their ears was the banging of hammers and the whirring of electric drills and the shrieking of power saws while their new home was being ripped down to the studs and built back up again. Clarke and Lexa had found a three bedroom townhome in need of a hearty dose of tender loving care that was smack dab in the middle of one of the best neighborhoods in all of San Francisco. They had been renting a small apartment for about two months while they hunted for a place they could call all their own, and the time had gone by in a whirlwind.

Lexa had started her position as junior partner under Indra herself. Aden was thrilled when Lexa had presented him with the choice to follow her to California, and she guessed he was about a single breath away from jumping for joy after she had finished sharing all the details of this new opportunity with him. His only complication was school, and he was forced to stay behind for the remainder of his semester before making his move across the country. Lexa was more than happy that he had decided to stick by his educational commitment and even happier that Indra had agreed to allow him to postpone his starting date by a few months.

The transition had gone relatively smoothly for Clarke as well. She couldn't believe the number of people from the hospital who came to her going away party and was touched when her boss offered her more than a few incentives to entice her to stay. It wasn't about the money she told him, it was a matter of the heart, and her heart was leading her to San Francisco to start a new chapter of her life with her best friend, with the woman she loved and who loved her back. Abby wouldn't let her leave without spending one last night in the home Clarke grew up in, and Clarke was sure she had never cried as much in her entire life as she did that night. They talked about the future, they talked about their fears, they talked about Jake and Marcus and Lexa, and they talked about how everything had come to be in their lives. They parted with tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces, and hope in their hearts for what new things were to come... together or apart.

The weather was brisk on the afternoon they saw the house. Clarke remembered the sounds the leaves in the trees made as the crisp autumn wind whipped around them. Lexa remembered having to catch her scarf, more times than she should have, from releasing its hold around her neck and getting lost in the wind. They had turned to walk down a street just for the fun of it, knowing that every house they laid eyes on would probably be well above their desired price range, but when they saw the temporary 'For Sale' sign perched atop a burnt lawn and in front of a quintessential San Franciscan row house, they felt something. It was a strange pull, a feeling, that this house had been waiting for them to make their own.

It had been on the market for all of twelve hours by the time they had submitted their official offer. It was a 'now or never' type of situation that veiled a more serious 'go big or go home' decision, and they followed their hearts which ultimately led them to own a small piece of property in the middle of one of the most sought-after communities in the area. To say that the inside of the house needed a facelift was the understatement of the century. After consulting with almost a dozen different construction companies, and dozens more hours of research on those companies, they finally decided on the most suitable one and began the task of planning out and supervising the restoration of the entire house from top to bottom.

Most of the architectural design decisions fell naturally on Clarke as it seemed she had a good eye for which part of the character of the home could be updated and which part should be left as is, albeit with a little polish to make it shine. They spent countless weekends visiting building warehouses, spending a considerable amount of time at each one to discover and compare their final choices for flooring, counter tops, and appliances. Designing the interior decor was a bit more trying, and the ten or so paint swatches that had been painted on the primed walls had remained for about a month until they had to decide between two by flipping a coin.

The only thing during the entire process that Lexa was adamant about was that they had to hang the painting Clarke had finally finished that she had started the fateful week Lexa had left for the Washington DC Expo. It was a view from behind looking forward, featuring the two of them sitting with their hands wound together atop a Burberry blanket spread across a beach with the ocean in their sights, and every time Lexa looked at it she would imagine the two figures thinking and dreaming about their future together. Besides their bed, a few couches, and the painting, the home as it stood was barely furnished with just enough to get by but not nearly enough to make it look complete, yet they couldn't have been happier.

Lexa found herself lying on their bed with a file folder spread across her lap and her back propped against the headboard as she went over her latest case. The dinner hour and come and gone and usually at around this time during the week, Lexa would find herself hunched over some case notes and Clarke would be painting in her studio – also known as the guest bedroom when it had to be. She had been painting regularly since they'd arrived in California, even selling a few of her pieces to a local art gallery for some extra cash. Not that money was a particular strain on their relationship since Lexa was making far more than a decent living, and Clarke had landed a part time medical research contract as a consultant for a major University near the city. They had taken serious steps in planning out their financial future, which the idea alone seemed deathly tedious at first, but only grew their excitement about living that future together.

Clarke made her way into the bedroom after spending about an hour halfheartedly throwing paint on a canvas and being unable to work herself to a groove. She bit her lip as she saw Lexa lying against the bright white duvet, her glasses sitting a bit lower on her nose than they should be. She wordlessly climbed on the bed and straddled the brunette, reaching down and in one swift motion pulling the file from her hands and slipping it onto the floor. Lexa's hands remained in the position they were as if she was still holding the folder, and her eyes darted up to see a playful smirk sneak its way onto Clarke's face as she leaned in.

"Clarke," Lexa warned, "I was working on that."

"I know," Clarke said softly and grinned inwardly in satisfaction when she felt Lexa's hands relax and slide onto her hips just underneath the bottom of her shirt.

She loved the way Lexa would always give in to her, as if it was the only thing in life that made her truly happy, and Clarke made sure never to take advantage of it. A small hum of approval tickled under her lips as she kissed Lexa's neck softly. The small noises of pleasure that filled her ears each time Lexa felt her touch was something of which Clarke could simply never tire. It was like music in its own right, and she craved it more as each day passed. She slipped one of her hands around to the back of Lexa's neck, brushing her fingertips along the skin there before burying her hand in a sea of brunette tresses. Their lips were suddenly together, moving slowly and softly against each other for a few lazy minutes.

In a move that Clarke never seemed to anticipate, Lexa applied the faintest bit of pressure from her hands against Clarke's hips before flipping their positions and taking control of the kiss. Another hand found Lexa's hair and was promptly lost under loose curls, and their bodies molded together as they began a familiar dance. Lexa's shirt was drawn up and over her head mere seconds before she was making her way down Clarke's body to lift hers, kissing every inch of skin on her stomach as it was exposed. Just as Clarke moved to push herself onto her elbows so the offending garment could be removed, a loud knocking sounded from the front door.

"Open up! It's the police!"

They both froze for a silent second, staring at one another with their lips slightly parted and their breathing slightly heavy, as they decided what their next move should be.

"We're not home," Clarke whispered as she urged Lexa's lips towards her own.

"Clarke," Lexa protested quietly, "if we don't answer, they're just going to keep knocking."

"They?" Clarke questioned.

"You don't think Anya's with her?" Lexa asked somewhat rhetorically.

Clarke huffed out a loud sigh and frowned as she watched Lexa roll off of her and reach down to grab her discarded shirt. It wasn't that she hated that her friends had followed them to San Francisco, but Clarke couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at times that buying their own house across the country still didn't manage to afford her and Lexa any added privacy than the tiny slivers they'd had back home. Their original home. The home where they had all met and become entwined in everyone's lives so deeply that it was impossible to break free. That very impossibility is what brought Clarke the most peace of mind and made her time with their friends more and more special as the weeks, months, and years went on.

"Raven," Clarke greeted her friend with a sarcastic smile, "thanks for interrupting our sex."

"Pfft," Raven scoffed, "like our presence here has stopped you before."

Lexa smiled and shot Clarke a look as she walked into the kitchen to grab four mugs down from the cabinet. She had surprised Clarke one afternoon by buying an entire set of the 'weird' bumpy mugs Lexa had always teased her about, and she was confused when Clarke had called her crying after she had opened the box after it had been delivered. She said something about the renovations making her emotional and that she was overwhelmed that someone so sweet could love her, weird mugs and all, but Lexa had just smiled and reaffirmed her love over the phone, promising her quiet evenings spent together after the chaos was over.

"Coffee for me please," Anya said as she strolled through the front door after Raven.

"By all means, come in," Clarke said as she gestured towards the inside of her home and closed the door, "make yourselves at home, put your feet up, drink our coffee..."

"Jeez, Clarke," Raven interjected, "tense much?"

"Yes," Clarke said as a fake smile plastered itself onto her face, "although I wouldn't have been if you would have showed up an hour from now."

"I'll take coffee too," Raven told Lexa after a beat.

Clarke rolled her eyes and situated herself on the couch, one of the few items she and Lexa had been able to make a decision on together.

After six months of shopping.

And another two weeks of deciding.

"So," Clarke started, "to what do we owe the displeasure of seeing you two this evening?"

"I love you too, Clarke," Raven cooed as she leaned over the back of the couch and planted a wet kiss on the blonde's cheek.

"Seriously, Rae," Clarke refocused the conversation, "what are you guys doing here?"

"Octavia called me," Raven answered as she plopped down on the couch, "she has some big announcement apparently."

Clarke glanced over to Lexa, who just so happened to be seeking out her gaze as well, and they shared a silent moment of questioning before Clarke looked back at her friends.

"You don't... think..." Clarke said but trailed off.

"That Octavia's pregnant?" Anya finished for her. "That's the first thing I thought."

"Oh my gosh," Lexa said from the kitchen.

"Are we ready to have a baby?" Clarke asked her friends.

"What?" Raven squeaked. " _We're_ not the ones having the baby, Clarke."

"Well, we kind of are," Anya broke in. "I mean, it's going to end up in our group."

"Yeah, we're all going to have to learn how to change dirty diapers," Clarke said as a faint look of disgust passed over her face.

"You don't know how to change a diaper?" Lexa asked amusedly as she walked into the living room with three steaming mugs of coffee and a mug of hot tea for herself.

"Well... I didn't... have any younger siblings to practice on," Clarke attempted to defend herself.

"Neither did I," Lexa replied with a smirk as she handed out the mugs.

"Me either," Anya pointed out.

"Ditto," Raven added.

"Well, sorry for being the only one freaked out about diapers," Clarke huffed.

"Don't worry, Clarke," Anya tried to comfort her as she blew over the top of her coffee, "it's not hard and it will give you practice for when you and Lexa have a tiny terror."

Lexa snorted out a laugh as she watched the rainbow of emotions flood over Clarke's face: shock, disgust, fear, panic, nausea.

"We're not having kids anytime soon," Lexa said as if to calm Clarke down a little bit, "but what about you two?"

Anya swallowed painfully as her eyes widened with an expression that rivaled Clarke's reaction, and Raven busied herself running her fingers along the rim of her mug and doing everything in her power not to make eye contact with anyone. She and Anya had finally, after a year of dancing around their feelings for one another, gone on their first date and it was all the group could seem to talk about. After a few more uncomfortable seconds of silence, Raven cleared her throat and spoke for them both.

"The kid conversation is more of a second date topic," Raven said before throwing a meaningful glance over at Anya.

"Second date," Anya muttered quietly, "noted."

The four girls fell into a now comfortable silence as they sipped on their drinks before another knock sounded on their front door followed by the sight of Octavia and Gina. Lexa's mouth dropped, and she looked over at Clarke in disbelief.

"Clarke!" Lexa exclaimed pointedly enough for the blonde to jump. "You didn't lock the door!"

"Yeah," Raven joined in, "and look what the cat drags in when you don't..."

"Fuck off, Reyes," Octavia teased as she made her way into the living room.

Clarke mouthed an 'sorry' to Lexa before she slipped off the couch to head towards the kitchen. She smiled and squeezed Gina's arm along the way, quickly stopping at the front door to lock it, and continuing on to make two more cups of coffee for their guests. She smiled as Gina took a seat in the middle of the couch between Lexa and Octavia, glad that the girl was feeling at home within their little group. Gina and Bellamy had been dating for the past eight months, and Clarke was thrilled that she fit in so well with all of them from the very beginning.

"So..." Octavia started to share her news but was quickly cut off.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Raven blurted out.

"Raven!" Lexa discouraged.

"Where's Lincoln?" Anya asked immediately. "Shouldn't he be here for this?"

" _Is he not the father_?" Raven gasped as her eyes widened.

"I'm not pregnant!" Octavia finally shouted.

"Well, that would explain why new girl is here," Raven said as she eyed Gina.

"I'm so glad everyone sat me down to explain you to me before I met you," Gina replied with a smirk on her face.

Raven just rolled her eyes and chuckled. She really did like the girl but always gave her a hell of a time teasing her about being the newest member of their group. Gina had likened it to something of a hazing ritual and simply shrugged off most of the spunky girl's comments.

"Is that what you guys have all been sitting around here talking about?" Octavia questioned, "that I was pregnant?"

"Well, yeah," Lexa answered honestly. "Raven said that you said you had some big announcement."

"Wow, you guys _really_ some chill," Octavia laughed.

"So what's this big announcement then if you're not pregnant?" Anya asked.

"The Flame," Octavia simply said.

"The flame?" Raven repeated. "The fuck is the flame?"

"It's a new club," Octavia shrugged as she happily received a cup of hot coffee from Clarke.

The room was silent for a few seconds as the friends stared at her.

"A new club?" Raven repeated again.

"Well, that was anti-climactic," Lexa mumbled over her mug as Clarke settled into her side.

"Yeah, O," Clarke piped up, "let's reserve the phrase 'big announcement' for actual big announcements."

"In my defense, I didn't say big announcement," Octavia corrected her friends, "I said big news."

"News... announcement... same thing," Raven said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I think big news is an appropriate choice of words," Lexa defended her friend. "It's news that a new club opened, and it's big because you all are obsessed with going out."

"Oh _'you all'_ like you never go with us!" Raven shot back, and the rest of the group just laughed.

"Anyways," Octavia cut in, "it looks awesome."

"So when should we go?" Lexa asked the group.

After a few beats of silence, Clarke spoke up.

"How about Thursday night?"

* * *

 **So... what to say? Without a doubt I've had an amazing time reading all of your comments and grasping onto every last ounce of feedback I've been given throughout these 22 chapters. I can't thank you all for the interest you've shown and the motivation you inspired and the incredibly kind words you've shared with me about the story and my writing. This was my first fanfic ever, so to say I didn't expect this type of a reaction from readers would be an understatement. I thank you all, truly, from the bottom of my heart for joining along on the ride. I will most definitely be writing another story... starting when I recover from the grueling schedule I put myself through with this one ;)**

 **** NOTE ** I will be posting future stories exclusively on AO3, so be sure to look out for me over there under the same username if you wish.**

 **(Find me on Twitter MsDorisDaisy)**


	23. Epilogue

**** What the whaaat? Did I seriously just write a 20k word epilogue? Short answer: Yep.** **I'd been toying with the idea of writing an epilogue for some time now, and a couple months ago I was bit by the inspiration bug to finally do it. This piece of the storyline was requested by a few commenters in earlier chapters, and my own curiosity about how it would happen motivated me to put it into words in the form of an epilogue. This takes please immediately after chapter twenty-two. So here it is, and please enjoy it during your holidays :) ****

* * *

"I'll only be gone for one night," Lexa said rather breathlessly as she tipped her head back to rest against the door behind her.

A soft moan spilled from the brunette's lips just a moment later as Clarke continued her journey, taking more than a few opportunities to sneak her tongue along the soft skin of Lexa's neck for a quick taste. The combination of the excitement building in her body and the faint splotches of moisture left by Clarke's kisses along her skin caused a wave of goosebumps to spread across Lexa's skin as a shiver raced down her spine.

"Are you complaining?" Clarke questioned with a clipped chuckle before nuzzling her nose into the crook of her girlfriend's neck.

"No!" Lexa blurted out and immediately threaded her fingers through Clarke's hair in a silent plea for her to continue.

Even if a round of love-making didn't follow, Lexa had come to love the way Clarke would nestle herself into the corners of her body. They were a perfect fit, in every sense of the word, and it hadn't been long after their big move to San Francisco together that Lexa realized the enormity of her unconditional love for her best friend.

It wasn't that their relationship had never been without faults, no relationship worth its salt ever was, but the fact remained that it had always been worth it. Worth the struggle, worth the differences of opinion, worth the tears, worth the laughter, worth the safety. It had always been worth it. Lexa had always been worth it to Clarke, and Clarke had always been worth it to Lexa.

"Clarke," Lexa moaned as she felt a particularly stinging bite just over her pulse point. "Clarke, wait..."

As much as she didn't want to, Clarke pulled her lips away from the sweet skin below them but wasn't at all disappointed with what she saw. Lexa was gazing hazily at her, pupils blown and lips parted, as she tried to gain her breath as well as work out whatever she was apparently trying to say. The jolt of arousal that fired its way from her chest straight down to the pit of her stomach was strong enough to make Clarke involuntarily swallow as her eyes were drawn down to stare shamelessly at the full lips of which she could never get enough.

"No hickeys," Lexa finally managed to say before licking her lips a split second before they were being captured by Clarke's.

A set of nearly identical moans filled the air as they began a familiar dance, their lips pushing and pulling at the other's as if it was their first time and their hundredth time. Clarke was clearly in control of that particular kiss, and the way Lexa seemed to melt in the space between Clarke's body and the bedroom door behind her made it more than obvious that the brunette had no qualms about it. Almost all of the coherent thoughts left inside Lexa's head went flying out the moment her sweatshirt was pulled from her shoulders and warm hands slipped under her tank top.

"Well, that's no fun," Clarke teased after breaking their kiss in favor of trailing her lips down the length of Lexa' neck once again.

"I'm meeting with a state senator," Lexa reminded her girlfriend. "I really don't think he'll want to have to stare at a giant hickey on my neck."

"Maybe he's into that sort of thing," Clarke teased with a casual shrug.

"Clarke!" Lexa exclaimed as her eyes widened in surprise at her girlfriend's crude insinuation.

"Relax," Clarke said with a small roll of her eyes, "I'll mark you somewhere no one else can see."

Lexa's throat bobbed at the suggestion and couldn't help but clench her thighs together in desperation to award herself _any_ degree of much-needed friction while Clarke made quick work of whisking the tank top up and over Lexa's head to be tossed to the floor beside them. A hiss of air seeped between the spaces of Lexa's teeth as she felt Clarke's fingers trace over her hardened nipples before both of her breasts were being kneaded gently.

"That way you'll be able to see it while you're busy passing the time," Clarke purred as a teasing smirk played at one corner of her lips, "all alone... in that big hotel bed..."

"I don't do that," Lexa said more sheepishly than she had intended to as a noticeable blush rose to dust the tops of her cheeks.

"You don't?" Clarke asked, her eyebrows raising in surprise.

"You do?" Lexa questioned as she pulled her face back an inch and raised a solitary eyebrow.

She was absolutely desperate to hear Clarke's answer, but all the blonde gave her was a shrug and a wink before grabbing one of Lexa's hands and leading her over to their bed. Lexa let out a small huff at the fact that she hadn't been given an actual answer but found herself beginning to forget the entire conversation when Clarke's hands slid gently down her sides and around her hips to cover the swell of her backside through the thin yoga pants she was wearing.

Their lips found each other's again, and Clarke wasted no time before she was hooking her thumbs around the fabric and tugging until Lexa was standing in nothing but her soft cotton panties. They lost themselves in the slide of each other's lips against their own, both letting out a few breathy sighs as their tongues moved together gently but passionately.

Lexa danced her fingers across the heated skin of Clarke's stomach for just a moment before grabbing the hem of her shirt and tugging the garment upwards quite impatiently. Clarke giggled as her hair came bouncing down around her face at the sudden movement, but Lexa quickly silenced her with another steamy kiss as her hands went to work slipping Clarke's soft lounge shorts over her hips until they pooled on top of the floor. A few quick moments later, they were both standing completely bare in front of each other as their hands skated over every inch of skin their eyes took in.

Lexa landed with her back against the mattress with a huff of surprise but was instantly distracted from any form of protest the moment a pair of perfect breasts came into view, hovering just inches away from her face above her. She unconsciously licked her lips, her eyes never straying from Clarke's beautiful skin on display, and nearly moaned at the sight of the ample mounds suddenly pressed against the palms of her hands. Lexa wasted no time in kneading the soft flesh, relishing in the view of Clarke tipping her head back in pleasure as she continued her caresses.

"How's the view from down there, pillow queen?" Clarke suddenly asked, her voice strained with lust.

Lexa immediately knew to what Clarke was referring, the two of them having jokingly argued about which one of them was the true 'top' in their more intimate moments, and she let out a small growl of disapproval as she slid her hands down to grip the sides of Clarke's hips before quickly flipping their positions. Clarke just grinned from her new spot below her girlfriend and lightly bit her lip before delivering a few gentle taps against the swell of Lexa's backside.

"Good," Clarke husked as she shimmied herself a bit lower against the pillows, "this is right where I wanted you."

All Lexa could do was drop her jaw as she felt her body move of its own accord, shuffling upwards until her knees bracketed each side of Clarke's head. Anticipation and excitement flooded her body as she felt Clarke's hands slide up the backs of her thighs and rest purposefully against her ass, applying just the right amount of pressure to guide Lexa down to meet the warmth of her mouth. An uninhibited groan ripped itself from Lexa's lungs and her hands flew up to grip onto the top edge of the headboard as Clarke licked a broad swipe along her slit, beginning a night of gentle pleasure both of them would benefit from (multiple times) before finally succumbing to the pull of a deep sleep.

* * *

The faint buzz of Lexa's morning alarm brought her mind back from its dreams just as the warmth of the morning sun began to filter in from behind the soft curtains covering their windows. She had laughed at Clarke's relief the night before after telling her about the car that would be picking her up and driving her to the airport and promised to try not to wake her as she got ready. Clarke had only protested for a moment, arguing that she might not be able to manage without a goodbye kiss, but she gave up quickly after Lexa reminded her just how much of a morning person she was not.

After a quick shower in the guest bathroom on the other side of their house, Lexa dried her hair and applied a light layer of makeup to her face. She had never been one to wear a lot of the stuff unless she was making herself up for a night out or a special celebration however, with that thought in mind, Lexa took a few minutes extra to add another swipe or two of mascara until she was happy with the way she looked. A small flash of nervousness ran through her body as she thought about what the day would bring and swallowed thickly in an attempt to calm herself from getting too worked up about it too soon.

She slipped into the clothes she had set out for herself the night before and made her way into the kitchen, glancing at the small overnight suitcase waiting patiently for her at the front door. The moment she flicked on the lights, her gaze was caught on a small pink bakery box sitting on the counter next to the coffee machine which looked to be already stocked with a K-cup and her favorite travel mug underneath. A smile crept to her lips as she reached out to pick up the small note propped up against the box and read it carefully.

 **Lexa,**

 **Have a safe flight and kick some ass! Not that you will actually be kicking someone's ass... just do a kick ass job getting this new client like you always do. Wow, I just wrote ass a lot.**

 **I love you more than you know.**

 **Clarke xx**

A quiet chuckle slipped past Lexa's lips, and she tucked the note into the breast pocket of her blazer before popping the top of the bakery box open to reveal her favorite blueberry cheesecake muffin from the café just around the corner from her office. She pinched a small piece from the top and munched happily on it as she prepared her coffee before making her way back to their bedroom. Careful not to wake her blissfully sleeping girlfriend, Lexa pressed a featherlight kiss to her temple before reaching out to brush a stray curl from her face.

"I love you," Lexa whispered.

"I love you too," Clarke replied just as quietly but much more groggily.

Even though Lexa had hoped her muted declaration wouldn't wake Clarke, she couldn't help but smile at hearing the reciprocation. She let her fingers rest along the arch of Clarke's cheek, brushing the pad of her thumb lightly against the soft skin there for a few seconds as she attempted to take in every last detail of Clarke's face before she had to leave.

"Thank you for the muffin," Lexa finally whispered and smiled again when she heard Clarke offer a soft hum in response.

She was relieved to hear the faint sound of a car door closing as she neared the front door, knowing that her driver had made it on time and was waiting outside for her. Not that she should have been surprised at his promptness as he was nothing but punctual. Another smile made its way to her face as she made eye contact with her driver who was standing proudly beside the back passenger side door and waiting patiently for her to approach.

"Good morning," Lexa offered in greeting after carefully locking the front door.

"Good morning, Lexa," Gustus answered as he reached for Lexa's suitcase and opened the car door for her.

She slipped inside easily and took a sip of her coffee while Gustus stowed her luggage in the trunk before making his way back up to take his place behind the steering wheel. Another few seconds passed before they were driving down the quiet neighborhood roads, and it was only a few seconds after that that Gustus broke their silence.

"So," he began as he caught Lexa's gaze in the rear view mirror, "today's the day."

"Today's the day," Lexa repeated with a small nod of affirmation.

"Are you nervous?" Gustus asked.

"Yeah," Lexa answered honestly, "a little bit."

"Don't be," Gustus told her. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I hope not," Lexa replied with a small sigh as she plucked a chunk of muffin between her fingers and popped it into her mouth.

The remainder of the ride to the airport went by quicker than Lexa had expected it to, but she was thankful to arrive with a comfortable amount of time to get through security and find her departure gate. She technically had two meetings that day, though the point of each differed vastly. Her first was to be strictly business as she was hoping to land one of her firm's biggest potential clients, and the second would be something much more personal.

Her momentary elation of a successful partnership with the young politician who was making moves to run for a senate seat in California was like a breath of fresh air, but the relief it brought vanished almost instantaneously when she caught sight of the time on her phone as she exited the hotel conference room in which her first meeting was being held. There was rarely an occasion when Lexa was late, and the thought of her showing up tardy to her second meeting was enough for her anxiety to roar back to life despite the boost of confidence she'd just gained from closing her biggest deal to date.

"Shit," Lexa mumbled under her breath and shoved her phone back into her briefcase.

Thankfully she was able to catch the attention of a cab driver just a few moments later and rattled off her destination address from memory, having prepared for that very afternoon more times than she could count. As the drive went on, Lexa felt a good amount of her confidence waning and had to close her eyes and steady the heavy beating in her chest in an attempt _not_ to completely faint or have a panic attack or something equally as mortifying in the back of the cab. It wasn't as if she had never talked to the woman she was on her way to visit, but the importance of the conversation she was about to have did nothing to help ease Lexa's nerves. They had never before had a one-on-one like they were about to, and the anticipation of it was slowly terrifying the young attorney to her very core.

"Twenty-seven fifty," the driver suddenly said as he pulled to a stop in front of the familiar house.

"Keep the change," Lexa told him as she handed over thirty dollars in cash and slipped out of the back seat.

She took a moment to smooth out her blazer and make sure her pants were hanging appropriately, not caught up on the backs of her shoes or hiked up too high around her hips. A deep cleansing breath later, Lexa began her short walk up the pathway leading to the front door and didn't even have the chance to ring the bell before she was being greeted.

"Lexa!" Abby exclaimed as she threw an arm out to embrace the girl. "It's so good to see you."

"You too, Abby," Lexa replied as she returned the hug affectionately.

"It's chilly out here," Abby said, referring to the briskness of the autumn afternoon. "Let's get inside, and I'll make you a cup of coffee."

"Sounds good," Lexa told her with a soft smile and allowed herself to be led through the front door.

The time had come. The conversation was happening. It was then or never. Those along with dozens of other motivational mantras flickered around inside Lexa's head as she followed Abby into the kitchen and found a seat at the breakfast table just as she'd been instructed. Another deep breath grounded her thoughts, and Abby's voice broke the silence.

"So how's Clarke?"

* * *

"You can't be serious, Clarke," Octavia said as she stared at her friend over the top of her coffee mug.

"What?" Clarke scoffed as she pulled her own mug away from her lips. "You don't think we're capable of cooking a turkey?"

"I don't think _you're_ capable of cooking a turkey," Octavia corrected her, "not without killing yourself in the process at least."

Clarke scrunched her face in annoyance. Sure she wasn't altogether gifted when it came to matters in the kitchen, but it wasn't like Lexa (her amazingly competent cook of a girlfriend) wouldn't be there helping her out.

"It's not like Lexa won't be there," Clarke pointed out with a small roll of her eyes. "Besides, how hard can shoving a turkey in an oven be?"

"Please, Clarke, _please_ let Lexa be in charge of the turkey," Octavia pleaded dramatically. "I don't want to starve on Thanksgiving. You could be in charge of rolls or something."

"Rolls?" Clarke repeated, her facial expression screaming how unimpressed she was at the suggestion.

"Yeah, you know, dinner rolls," Octavia dared to continue. "You can buy them at the store, no cooking or baking necessary!"

"I would _throw_ my bag of dinner rolls at you right now if I had some," Clarke grumbled as she took another healthy swig of her steaming coffee.

Octavia just giggled in response and sipped her own coffee, letting her eyes wander around her friend's living room. It was still quite sparse, with only a few couches and a coffee table and floor lamp situated around the fireplace, but there was a recent addition of a live pine tree that Clarke had begged Lexa they go cut down themselves so that they could create the quintessential holiday memory to look back on year after year.

Unfortunately for them both, the experience had been anything but magical. The morning they'd set aside greeted them with ominous clouds and an ill-timed rainstorm the moment Lexa had begun to slice through the trunk of the tree Clarke had chosen. More than enough pine needle pricks evoked more than enough curse words, and they left even more of a mark in the form of little piles of discarded needles in a pathway leading from their front door to the far end of the living room. Neither of them had to tell each other that the following year (and every year thereafter) they would be using a fake tree to decorate, but the fit of laughter they fell into as they swept up the mess in their rain soaked clothes spoke clearer than their words ever could.

"So have you heard from Lexa about whether she landed that mayor guy?" Octavia asked and her face immediately twisted in disgust. "Ugh, that sounded so wrong."

Clarke grimaced herself but quickly corrected saying, "he's a state senator, and no I haven't heard from her yet."

"Your girlfriend's, like, kind of a big deal," Octavia said, wagging her eyebrows for effect.

"I know," Clarke replied with a shy smirk and a dainty blush rising to her cheeks. "She's amazing."

"So what did she say when you told her you were thinking about getting back into surgery?"

"Really supportive," Clarke replied. "She just wants me to be happy, and she can see I've been going a little stir-crazy spending so much time at home with my research."

"So you're not worried about your schedules getting hectic again?" Octavia questioned as she sipped thoughtfully at her coffee. "I mean with Lexa being a junior partner flitting off to the other side of the country to meet with politicians and you starting back with your insane hospital hours, aren't you worried you guys won't have enough down time?"

"I'm not _worried_ ," Clarke began, "but it will definitely be an adjustment. I just kind of feel like this is where our life is at the moment. It's the direction we're supposed to take. We're both on the same page about it, so I'm really not worried."

"That's good, Clarke," Octavia said with a small nod, "I'm happy for you."

The mood shifted just ever-so-slightly, but Clarke immediately latched onto the unidentifiable expression running across her friend's face and heard herself speaking before she even realized it.

"Is everything going okay for you, O?" Clarke asked sincerely.

"Sure, yeah," Octavia answered with a shrug and a nod.

"You're still liking your job?" Clarke pressed on.

"Yep," Octavia assured her. "I mean, a job's a job, but it's working out."

"Are you and Lincoln... okay?" Clarke questioned tentatively, still unsure of why Octavia seemed to be acting a little bit off.

"Actually things with him have, kind of, never been better," Octavia admitted with a shy smile spread across her lips. "We're actually maybe... thinking about... possibly starting a family."

"Really?" Clarke asked eagerly, her eyes beginning to squint above the wide smile slowly stretching across her face.

Octavia smiled and nodded silently while Clarke felt a few stinging tears pricking at the backs of her eyes as she felt a sense of joy begin to swell in her chest.

"That's incredible, O," Clarke told her through a wistful smile. "I'm really happy for you guys."

"Thanks," Octavia replied, that time her smile breaking apart into a toothy grin. "Lincoln's doing so well at his job, he absolutely loves it, and since my ovaries tend to tingle any time a child is within a ten foot radius of me we decided that now might be a good time to pop one out."

Clarke let out an amused laugh but nodded in approval nonetheless.

"So what did Raven have to say?" Clarke asked through a smaller chuckle, knowing that the feisty brunette probably reacted quiet comically to the news.

"She was shocked," Octavia began, "then she muttered something in Spanish," she explained with a quizzical look on her face, "and finally she tackled me in a giant hug before apologizing about squishing the baby area."

"Baby area?" Clarke repeated, and Octavia only nodded as she pointed at her stomach. "That girl is too much."

"Isn't that the truth?" Octavia asked rhetorically. "She seemed really happy though, for Lincoln and me, so that made me happy."

"Everyone will be happy for you, O," Clarke told her but immediately re-thought her statement. "Well, everyone except Bellamy who will probably want to beat Lincoln's ass for impregnating his little sister."

"Oh yeah, I never thought about that," Octavia said with a laugh as she gripped her coffee mug closer to her chest.

"He'll get over it," Clarke assured her before taking a few silent moments to reflect on her thoughts a she sipped her coffee. "Wow, I can't believe you two are going to be parents. My little O's all grown up."

Octavia just rolled her eyes but the grin on her face masked nothing, and she hummed into her mug while her imagination took her to all the places she'd been dreaming of recently. At least ever since she and Lincoln had talked about starting to try for a baby. It was time, she just knew it, and the thought of creating a new little life made her head swim in the most delightful way.

"So do you want me to tell Lexa?" Clarke asked.

"Of course," Octavia answered immediately. "You two are practically one person. Besides I figured you'd probably mutter something about it in your sleep at some point anyways."

"I don't talk in my sleep," Clarke scoffed defensively.

"That's a joke, right?" Octavia quipped with eyebrows raised. "Do you not remember that ski trip?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Clarke said with a dismissive shrug.

"You don't remember the trip or you don't remember the fifteen minute conversation you had with me about ice cream?" Octavia asked, a faint hint of a chuckle in her tone.

"Of course I remember the trip," Clarke replied with a dramatic sigh, "but I have no recollection of the conversation to which you are referring."

"No recollection, my ass," Octavia said with a grunt of a laugh.

Clarke pushed herself further into the fluffy cushions along the back of the couch and slipped her feet up to curl underneath her as a comfortable silence fell on the two friends as they sipped on their coffee and let their minds wander. A sharp snap of Octavia's fingers startled Clarke from her thoughts, and she looked over to see the brunette with her eyebrows arched and mouth open.

"Cranberry sauce!" Octavia blurted out. "Lexa can make the turkey, stuffing, and potatoes, and you can be in charge of dinner rolls and cranberry sauce... that is assuming you know how to work a can opener without, I don't know, burning your arm on the stove or something."

The only response Clarke offered was a glare and a pointed flip of her middle finger.

* * *

"So how's Clarke?"

The smoothness of the hardwood floors beneath her dress socks managed to relax Lexa, as if the subtle slide against the wood was somehow massaging away the tenseness she felt even down to the soles of her feet. She watched as Abby pulled two coffee mugs down from one of the open shelves above the kitchen counter and poured a healthy helping of the dark liquid inside. 'She already brewed us some coffee,' Lexa mentally noted for no particular reason and blinked a few times before opening her mouth to answer.

"She's great," Lexa told her. "We're both adapting to life in San Francisco quicker than I hoped."

"That's good," Abby replied with a polite smile as she walked the two steaming mugs over to where Lexa sat. "How is your job? Is it as exciting as you thought it would be working for Indra?"

"It has been amazing," Lexa replied as her face brightened with a genuine smile. "Having the opportunity to work with one of the best has been like a dream come true. Never did I think I'd be poised to represent presidential hopefuls this early in my career."

"So I take it the meeting you flew into town for went well?" Abby asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Very," Lexa said with a solid nod of affirmation.

"I'm glad you called me to set up a time for us to chat," Abby told her honestly. "I've missed having you pop into the hospital, although I know you mainly did that for Clarke's benefit."

Lexa smiled shyly and slid her fingers around the sides of her mug, reveling in the warmth against her skin from the heat of the coffee.

"To think if the hospital didn't have such awful coffee, I wouldn't have shown up so often," Lexa tried to joke, though the tightness of her voice made it fall slightly flat.

"Somehow I don't think that a bad cup of coffee would be enough to keep you away from Clarke," Abby replied with a knowing twinkle in her eyes.

"That's true," Lexa said with a shallow nod, and her heart began to flutter in anticipation of the direction she was about to steer their conversation. "Clarke's friendship has always been... something I'm still not sure if I even deserve."

"Nonsense, Lexa," Abby scolded her lightly. "The two of you deserve the world, and I think you've both found that in each other."

"I know I have," Lexa replied immediately, her voice unwavering in her conviction. "Abby..."

The older woman locked her gaze onto the nervous brunette sitting in front of her and bit back a smile, knowing full well what she was struggling to find the words to tell her. The second Lexa had called her to let her know she'd be in town on business and wondered if they would be able to meet up and chat, Abby figured the 'chat' would end up revolving around Clarke in an important way. With a gentle squeeze of Abby's hand around Lexa's, the younger girl continued.

"... I love your daughter very much."

"I know, honey," Abby said through a smile as she retracted her hand. "Clarke loves you too."

"Sometimes I still can't get used to that," Lexa confessed, gingerly tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I just never thought... I never dreamed that someone so amazing as Clarke would ever feel the same way. At least not without a lot of convincing."

The joke that time stood tall, and both women chuckled before each taking a sip of their coffees.

"I've found myself thinking far less about my life before Clarke than about my life now with Clarke," Lexa continued cautiously, "and I was hoping... to get your blessing... on asking Clarke to marry me."

The room was silent. It was so silent that if a pin dropped, it would probably sound like a dozen sticks of dynamite exploding. It was the first time Lexa had said the m-word aloud, and while at the same time it felt so foreign on her tongue it also sounded like the most natural thing she had ever heard herself say. It wasn't until Abby had stood from her chair that Lexa realized she hadn't been responded to in any way, and the breath in her lungs suddenly felt toxic as she watched in rapt attention as the older woman made her way over to reach for something that looked oddly hidden (now that Lexa had finally noticed it) under a stack of a few pieces of what looked to be unopened mail.

"I had a feeling," Abby began as she sat back down and placed the small velvet box on the table in front of her, "that you would be asking me that question today."

Lexa flicked her eyes from the box back up to Abby's gaze and nervously nodded in understanding, still waiting to hear her answer and trying to recall how she had worded the question she had practiced asking over and over and over again.

"There is no one I'd rather have Clarke marry than you," Abby told Lexa sternly yet lovingly. "You have my blessing."

Lexa felt an enormous weight lifted from her shoulders at the words, but she couldn't help the adrenaline that began flowing through her body to the very tips of her fingers resting against the warm coffee mug in front of her as all of her pent-up anxiousness came pouring out, leaving a few quivers in its wake. She couldn't deny that she felt a hundred times better, more relieved, and found herself blankly looking back at the amused expression on Abby's face.

"You can relax now," Abby instructed with a playful grin, and Lexa followed suit with taking a deep breath and letting it out of her lungs slowly.

"I can't tell you how much better I feel," Lexa confessed quietly.

"You didn't seriously think I'd say no, did you?" Abby teased, the fingers on her left hand still resting on the small velvet box resting against the table.

"No, I just," Lexa began with a faint shake of her head, "never imagined I'd be here... asking you... having the opportunity to ask Clarke..."

"I understand," Abby interjected, saving the girl from her loss of words. "I'm sort of in the same boat, you know. I always figured Jake would be the one to be asked for his blessing."

"Really?" Lexa questioned curiously.

"Yes," Abby replied with a strong nod. "I had the complete stereotypical scenario in my mind."

"Oh," Lexa replied quietly.

"Lexa, I couldn't have been happier with how it happened."

Another wave of relief spilled over Lexa's body, and her mind seemed to clear as Abby stood from her chair and reached out to pull her up by the wrist. They fell into a tender embrace, unlike any they had ever shared before, and it wasn't until Abby sniffled back a few tears that they separated. Lexa swallowed thickly as she watched the woman brush at the faint trail of wetness tracked down her cheek, and the both sat back down in their chairs.

"So, I know my ring has never really been Clarke's style," Abby began as she opened the tiny box and presented it to her future daughter-in-law, "but I would love for you to have it and give it to her at some point. It doesn't have to be the ring you propose to her with, but I want you to have it."

"This is the ring Jake proposed to you with?" Lexa asked gently, not wanting to upset Abby by stirring up any painful memories.

"It was," Abby replied as a fond smile broke onto her face.

"Will you tell me about it?" Lexa asked. "I'd love to get some ideas."

Abby just chuckled in reply and stood up to refill both of their mugs before spending the next hour indulging Lexa with her and Jake's entire story from beginning to end.

* * *

"Are you sure I can't help you with anything?" Clarke called out from her spot on the living room couch.

With the incredible success of their Thanksgiving dinner party under their belts, Lexa and Clarke had offered quite enthusiastically to host the year's Christmas celebration as well. Needless to say, their friends had immediately agreed and plans were quickly made. When the time finally had come, Clarke followed through on her offer to do all of the food shopping and cleaning of their house as both individuals of the couple knew better than to involve the clumsy blonde in the actual making of the meal.

Their morning had started out lazily, the two even engaging in a bit of almost-sexy time before Lexa realized how much valuable food preparation time had gotten away from her. They were both left with unquenched desire pulsing through their bodies as Lexa scurried to the kitchen and Clarke trudged her way into the bathroom to take a shower.

As the morning turned into the afternoon, the table was set and Lexa had managed to sneak away from her food long enough to shower and get herself ready for their friends who were scheduled to arrive in time for an early dinner. The table had been set, and Clarke poured them each a glass of wine which they sipped between kisses for a few minutes before Lexa had shooed her girlfriend into the living room so she could concentrate on putting a few final touches on her food. Clarke hadn't complained about being told to sit down a just relax (who really would complain at that), but she couldn't help but offer her help every fifteen minutes or so just in case.

"Actually, you can help me with something now," Lexa announced from her spot in front of the stove.

Clarke lifted her eyebrows in surprise and looked over towards the kitchen, waiting silently for Lexa's request to be voiced. When nothing came, Clarke scurried up from her comfortable seat on the couch and walked up behind Lexa to peer over her shoulder at what was happening in the rather large pot Lexa was stirring.

"How may I be of assistance?" Clarke said dramatically, at which Lexa just smiled.

"You can be my sauce taster," Lexa finally told her as she picked up a small spoon and dipped it into the pot to scoop out a bit of the steaming liquid.

"If I didn't love food so much, I might be offended that you're giving me such an unimportant job," Clarke teased through a small smirk.

"It's not unimportant," Lexa replied as she lifted the spoon to carefully blow on it, "maybe just a bit uncomplicated."

"I'll have you know that I can perform some of the most complicated surgeries that many doctors twice my age have trouble with," Clarke defended herself.

"In the operating room, you're more than capable," Lexa told her girlfriend as she presented the spoonful of warm sauce to her.

"I'm just not capable in the kitchen," Clarke finished for her. "Is that what you're saying?"

"Let's not get into this, Clarke," Lexa warned lightly as she waited patiently for Clarke to get herself ready for the taste.

"Fine," Clarke huffed, "but only because you make such kickass sauces."

A smile fell onto Lexa's lips as she watched Clarke lean forward just slightly. She was thrilled when Clarke made no move to take the spoon from her, simply parting her lips to sip at the liquid cautiously. Lexa's gaze remained fixated on Clarke's mouth as the spoon disappeared into it, and she felt a hot blush rising up her neck as the sound of a low approving moan filled her ears.

Lexa had to actually clear her throat as a way to snap her mind out of the trance it was in after she watched Clarke's tongue slide over her lips to chase down every last drop of the sauce that might still be on them. Green eyes shifted back towards the simmering pots on the stovetop quickly enough to miss the knowing smirk that began to slowly spread across Clarke's face.

"That tasted really good," Clarke rasped into Lexa's ear before placing a small kiss on the skin just below it.

"It wasn't too sweet?" Lexa asked, her voice straining ever-so-slightly as Clarke slipped her hands around her waist from behind.

"Nope," Clarke purred before dropping another kiss just a bit further down her neck.

"Good," Lexa said, her eyes fluttering with each press of her girlfriend's lips against her skin.

"Yeah," Clarke said softly, "good."

Lexa tried to focus on her sauce, knowing that their friends were due to arrive soon, but the way Clarke's lips were dancing down her neck made the task quite formidable. She swallowed instinctively when a hint of teeth brushed along her skin, and Lexa nearly moaned when Clarke's fingers began to work their way under the bottom hem of her sweater to brush teasingly against the warm flesh of her stomach. Just as Lexa was turning her head to offer her lips to Clarke, their front door was being opened to reveal a disgusted-looking Anya and a smug-looking Raven.

"Damn, can't you two keep your hands off each other for one day?" Anya asked as she moved a little farther into the house to begin toeing off her shoes.

"Um, hello?" Clarke said as she gestured the entire length of Lexa's body. "No."

Lexa felt a blush rise to her cheeks at the insinuation, and she looked away from her friends to give Clarke an embarrassed glare at which Clarke simply shrugged. Raven let out a quick wolf whistle, which subsequently made Lexa's face even hotter, and Clarke let her right hand fall to deliver a playful squeeze to her girlfriend's backside.

"I saw that," Octavia said as she stepped through the doorway.

Lexa eyed Clarke who looked back over her shoulder to toss a wink her way before making her way over to their friends to grab the bottle of wine Anya was holding and the box of assorted chocolates Lincoln had.

"Over a year you two have been dating and you still manage to fluster her," Lincoln told Clarke as he tipped his head towards Lexa.

"It's not that hard," Clarke said with another shrug as Lexa rolled her eyes and took a sip of her wine.

Everyone exchanged hugs, wine was poured, and after about twenty minutes of chatting they were all sitting around the table piling small helpings of everything Lexa had prepared for the meal. Her famous tender pork loin drizzled with the sweet-but-savory sauce Clarke had sampled, potatoes fluffed perfectly enough to be clouds, steamed vegetables, and homemade crusty bread was enjoyed by all until none of them could eat another single bite. Everyone offered their many compliments about the food, and Clarke thanked Lexa with a kiss for them all before the dishes were cleaned and stacked away and the table was clear once again.

Lexa tried to relax in the living room with the rest of her friends, but she couldn't help but practically stare at the clock on their wall as the time slowly ticked by. Thankfully Clarke was busying herself with fetching an opened bottle of wine from the kitchen which gave Anya the opportunity to scowl at Lexa, silently warning her to relax or she was going to make Clarke suspicious. The brunette snapped herself out of it just in time as Clarke rejoined the group in the living room a few moments later.

"Can I top your glass off?" Clarke asked Lincoln as she moved to stand in front of his spot on the couch.

"No thanks," Lincoln replied.

Clarke scrunched her eyebrows in confusion as she watched her friend throw an indiscernible glance towards his wife and let out a long sigh of understanding.

"Are you guys both not drinking while you're trying to get pregnant?" Clarke asked.

"Uh, yep," Octavia answered quickly, and Clarke thought nothing of it.

"Raven?" Clarke asked as she held the wine bottle out in question.

"Oh, yeah, um... no," Raven said trying to keep her cool. "I'm too full."

"You're too full for wine?" Clarke questioned in absolute disbelief. "Are you joking?"

"Lexa just force-fed us twenty pounds of food each," Raven said as she waved a hand over at the brunette dramatically, "so yeah, I'm too full."

"You've never been too full for alcohol in your life," Clarke pointed out skeptically.

"What's with the twenty questions, Clarke?" Raven asked anxiously.

"Okay, fine," Clarke relented with a high-pitched sigh before turning to Anya with the bottle.

"Yeah, I'm pretty full too," Anya said after a few beats of silence and punctuated her statement with a few awkward pats against her stomach.

Clarke couldn't help the confused expression from distorting her face just slightly, and she looked over at Lexa as if she might have an answer as to why their friends were acting so strangely but was met with nothing more than a nervous smile from her girlfriend. With quick sweep of her gaze around the room one more time, Clarke walked over to where Lexa was sitting to offer _her_ some more wine but was turned down once again.

"So I'm the only one drinking?" Clarke asked as she plopped down next to Lexa on the couch.

"We should probably get going," Lincoln finally blurted out just as Clarke had wiggled herself into a comfortable position against the cushions.

The rest of the group agreed in a jumbled response of 'uh-huh's and it's about that time' as they all practically jumped from their seats to scramble for the front door. Clarke watched the scene unfold with her mouth hanging open and her eyebrows scrunched together until she finally pulled herself together long enough to speak.

"But, wait, you guys have only been here for a few hours!" Clarke tried to reason with them until Lexa stood up from her seat as well. Clarke looked up at her with the same look of confusion on her face as she questioned her girlfriend. "Are we seriously kicking them out already?"

"It's not like we're leaving without you, Clarke," Octavia said as a mischievous smirk started to play on her lips.

"What do you mean?" Clarke asked as her eyes darted between her friends as they kicked it into high gear, criss-crossing each other's paths in a flurry of motion. "What's going on?"

"Your bae planned one hell of a Christmas present for you," Raven finally clued her friend in.

"She..." Clarke trailed off as she looked around the room to see that Lexa had disappeared only to reappear a moment later with a suitcase trailing behind her and two puffy winter coats slung over one of her arms. "What the..."

"You're adorable when you're confused," Lexa said quietly as she leaned in to kiss away the faint pout on Clarke's lips.

"What's going on?" Clarke whispered as she stood up and took the brand new navy blue coat that was being held out to her.

"Get your purse," Lexa instructed as a wide smile began brightening her face more and more by the second, "because we're going on a trip."

"A trip?" Clarke questioned as a distinct edge of excitement filled her voice. "Where? Why? Right now?"

"Yes, right now," Lexa said with a small nod.

"Come on, Clarke," Anya shouted from the front door, "move your ass!"

Clarke tore her gaze away from Lexa to the porch outside just in time to see Raven nearly get swatted in the face by ski luggage, only to be saved by Anya's quick reflexes as she reached an arm above Raven's head to deflect the hit.

"Damn it, Octavia!" Anya scolded her friend harshly. "You almost knocked Raven in the face with your giant stupid-ass skis!"

"I'm _sorry_ , jeez," Octavia defended herself from somewhere on the porch outside. "Tell your girlfriend to stand down, Rae."

Lexa chuckled at her friends' comedic antics before turning her attention back to Clarke who still looked as confused as ever only with a new expression of excitement beginning to spread across her face. She could tell that Clarke was finally starting to understand why everyone had been acting weirdly and couldn't wait to see her girlfriend's reaction when she saw what was waiting outside for her.

"Hurry up," Lexa said with a smile, "our flight leaves in an hour."

Her heart leaped at the sound of a squeal being expelled from Clarke's lungs as she spun on her heels and dashed into their bedroom to get her purse. She did a frantic once-over of the house to make sure the oven wasn't left on and all the curtains were closed and made it back to where Lexa was standing by the front door less than a minute later.

"Damn, Lex!" Lincoln shouted from the front yard. "If I knew about these perks, I would have gone to law school!"

Clarke hurried to where Lexa was standing to peer outside, her eyes immediately landing on a sleek black stretch-limousine parked at the curb. There was a broad shouldered man in a dark suit standing at attention by one of the back doors, and Clarke could only assume that he was their driver. She looked over to Lexa with her eyes wide with excitement and allowed herself to be ushered out the door and onto the porch so Lexa could lock up after her.

She watched as her friends quite ungracefully deposited their luggage into the trunk and filed into the long car one by one, each of them receiving a polite but small nod of greeting from the burly man who had his hands clasped behind his back. When Clarke finally got within a few feet of him, he locked eyes with her and smiled before revealing from behind his back a single red rose which he presented to her like a proud father despite the fact that he hadn't yet met her.

"Merry Christmas, Dr. Griffin," Gustus greeted warmly as Clarke bashfully accepted the rose from him and smiled.

"Dr. Griffin is my mom," Clarke told him, "so please call me Clarke."

Gustus offered nothing more than a nod before Clarke squinted her eyes just slightly and opened her mouth to speak again.

"You must be Gustus," she said as a twinkle sprung to her eyes.

"Yes," Gustus replied. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Clarke."

He barely managed to get the words out before Clarke was standing up on her tip-toes and wrapping her arms around his neck to engulf him in a hug. He gratefully, yet somewhat hesitantly, accepted it and smiled down at her as she pulled herself away from him.

"You too," Clarke said before taking a quick whiff of the rose he'd just given her and hopping into the back of the limousine.

"You're a lucky woman, Lexa," Gustus said quietly as the brunette stopped just a foot in front of the door. She smiled and fought the blush rising to her cheeks as she spoke.

"Don't I know it."

* * *

"Holy shit," Raven breathed out as she slumped in close to the dash board of the airport shuttle van and tried to take in the full sight of the ski chalet of gigantic proportions they were pulling up to.

Lexa had gone all out for the group, booking them rooms at one of the most sought-after accommodations in the snowy state, especially during peak skiing season. It was a sprawling two story lodge with sharp A-line rooftops, and a rustic combination of weathered lumber and stonework encased the outside of the structure. Arriving after the sun had set only made the scene more spectacular as thousands of white holiday lights adorned the gate, the trees and bushes, and of course the ski chalet itself, making it look like something straight off of the set of a Christmas movie.

"Look at this place!" Raven continued when no one had spoken up, most likely out of shock at the beauty of the scene of which they were suddenly right in the middle.

"What do you think?" Lexa whispered into Clarke's ear as she continued staring out the van's window in awe at the sight.

One of the things they most enjoyed doing on lazy evenings at home, besides the obvious intimate activities, was to talk about their dreams for the future. Aside from some of the more sappy dreams of growing old together and loving each other despite all their wrinkles, they often found themselves planning out vacations. Some took place across the globe and were lavish as if money wasn't an issue, and others were simple down-to-earth camping trips to be taken in their own state's national park.

On the second night in their new home, when they had nothing more than an air mattress in the bedroom and a box of take-out pizza in the fridge, they had planned out one of their dream vacations as taking place in a cozy chalet at the foothills of the snowy mountains in Wyoming. They planned out all of their daily activities from skiing (of course) to snowshoeing, horseback riding to sipping coffee in front of the lodge's fireplace. It was the perfect winter retreat and the absolute best excuse to spend their nights cuddled up next to each other.

What Clarke had never expected was for Lexa to not only make one of their dreams come true, but to pick out of all the ski chalets in all the vast state of Wyoming the exact one they were driving up to at that very moment. The tears that began prickling at the backs of her eyes remained unshed as she turned her head around to lock her gaze with Lexa.

"I think it's beautiful," Clarke whispered back.

Lexa said nothing in response as she reached out to brush a stray curl away from Clarke's glistening blue eyes and tuck it gently behind her ear. A small wave of nervousness swept over her, and Lexa pursed her lips as she swallowed thickly to try and remain as calm as she possibly could. She had a plan that she had to stick to, and she couldn't – she wouldn't – let her nerves get the better of her too early into the trip.

"I love you, Clarke," Lexa said quietly before leaning forward to place a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek.

"I love you too," Clarke replied with a small smile and leaned in closely to add, "and you're getting so lucky tonight."

Before she could even attempt to stop it, Lexa felt her cheeks grow hot under a deep blush and had to physically stop herself from groaning in disappointment at the thought of having to tell Clarke about the condition her friends made each other agree upon before agreeing to the trip. The van came to an abrupt stop which effectively shook Lexa out of her momentary trance, and the door was being slid open almost immediately by Lincoln who was practically being shoved out into the frigid mountain air by an extremely impatient Octavia.

As soon as clumpy winter boots hit the ground, they were doubling back to the rear of the van where everyone's luggage had been stored for the drive between the airport and the chalet. Clarke was bubbling with excitement while Lexa (as much as she could) hung back to take in everyone's reactions with her own smile tugging softly at her lips. Seeing her friends happy was one thing, but watching Clarke bounce around like a kid on Christmas morning was a sight of which she would never tire.

The cold mountain air froze their breaths, and Lexa watched mesmerized as small puffs of steam billowed from between Clarke's lips as she spoke to her friends. The bright baby blues the brunette had grown to love so much had never looked clearer, and the breath in Lexa's lungs caught each time Clarke's eyes reflected a sparkle from the stars overhead. She contemplated dropping to a knee right then and there, as the magic of the night seemed to overtake each and every one of her senses, but all impulsive thoughts were thrown from her head when she heard Anya let out a frustrated growl.

"I fucking swear, Octavia!" Anya nearly screamed as she lifted her hand to rub the side of her head where Octavia's skis had just whacked her.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Octavia blurted out as she held up her hands in surrender.

"You clearly don't have much experience handling something so big and long," Anya quipped harshly.

Octavia's eyebrow lifted in challenge as Lincoln turned to throw Anya a searing glare.

"And you do?" Octavia asked, her hip jutting out as she took a defensive stance.

"You would have to ask Raven," Anya replied without missing a beat.

Every face in the group simultaneously looked over towards Raven who, while she quite impressively didn't seem the least bit flustered at the sudden attention, couldn't stop the smug smile from pulling at the corners of her lips.

"She does," Raven said in a teasingly seductive tone.

Both Clarke and Lexa's faces scrunched up in disgust as the inevitable image of the two of their friends doing something with something flashed through their minds, and the confirmation had Octavia simply rolling her eyes in response.

"Just keep it in your pants this week," Octavia said as she narrowed her gaze in on Anya.

"That goes for you too," Raven shot back quickly which earned another eye roll from Octavia.

"That's the rule for everyone, remember?" Lincoln chimed in as he swept a pointed index finger around at the group.

"Wait," Clarke finally spoke up, "what?"

"Our, uh, rooms are all next to each other's," Lexa explained as she adjusted the strap of her bag slung around her shoulder, "so we promised each other... that we wouldn't... um..."

"There's a no sex rule in effect for the duration of the vacation," Raven said, taking a moment to chuckle to herself at the rhyme she ended up creating.

"Wha..." Clarke began quietly but trailed off before turning her attention solely back onto Lexa "... but we're here for five days!"

"You can't keep your hands off your girlfriend for five days?" Octavia asked teasingly as she turned to start walking towards the chalet.

"Yeah, Griffin," Raven added, "leave your self-control back in San Francisco?"

Clarke said nothing other than letting out a long groan of frustration as she trudged through the snow towards the impressive building ahead. She had spent nearly the entire flight thinking of ways she would show her gratitude to her girlfriend for planning such an amazing Christmas surprise, and needless to say her body was quite wound up by the time they had landed.

And it continued to wind itself during the shuttle drive.

And it had especially raged when she'd leaned over and teased Lexa about her getting lucky.

Despite her discomfort, she managed to compose herself well enough as to not arise any suspicions during check-in and followed Lexa's lead towards the row of rooms that had been reserved on the upper level of the chalet. Theirs was tucked into the far corner of the lodge, and the momentary thought that they would only have to contend with one shared wall was thrown out almost as quickly as it had appeared when Lexa threw a glance of warning as if she knew exactly what Clarke was thinking.

When she received a small shrug from Clarke, Lexa turned back around and opened the door to their suite slowly. She swallowed carefully as she watched Clarke's expression brighten for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day and stepped aside as Clarke wandered slowly into the room. Lexa was relieved to see that her special request had been executed to her specifications and waited patiently for Clarke to take it all in.

A tall glass vase filled with more than a dozen long-stemmed roses was resting proudly atop the dresser. There was a bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket of ice next to them, and a beautiful platter of assorted cheeses, strawberries, and chocolates was nestled snuggly in the middle. Clarke let her bag slide down her arm and flop heavily onto the floor before she turned around to walk the few short steps back to where Lexa was standing.

Their lips were drawn together in an instant, Clarke's arms coming up to loop around Lexa's neck as Lexa dropped her own bag in favor of pushing her fingers to grip firmly against the soft curve of Clarke's hips. Lexa barely registered being pushed back by the weight of their bodies colliding until her back hit the door with a loud thump.

A breathy moan spilled from Clarke's lips as she threaded her fingers through soft brunette locks as their lips continued their dance, the kiss deepening and slowing with each second that passed. It was only when the sound of their phones buzzing that they pulled away from each other, their eyes hazy with desire and their breaths coming with urgency. They both sighed heavily and reached for their phones to find that Anya had texted Lexa and Raven had texted Clarke the exact same thing at the exact same time.

 **We heard a thud. Remember the pact. Or else.**

Lexa blinked a few times as she tried to focus her vision on the words on her phone as Clarke huffed in annoyance, but before either of them could say anything another text message came through on Lexa's phone that Clarke craned her neck to read.

 **Raven: Thanks for the champagne!**

As if on cue, a faint cork pop was heard from the room next door and Clarke quirked an eyebrow as she looked over at her girlfriend expectantly.

"They did such a good job keeping this trip a surprise for you that I wanted to thank them," Lexa explained without even being asked. "They didn't get roses or a snack platter... and their champagne was a lot cheaper."

Clarke let out a low chuckle at the brunette's hasty response and responded by giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. Lexa sighed as Clarke took a step back and turned to where the champagne was, lifting it out from the ice-filled bucket and holding it up for Lexa to see.

"Do you want to pop this open while I change into something a little more comfortable?" Clarke asked with a hint of seduction in her eyes.

"Yeah, sure," Lexa replied as she walked over to take the bottle from Clarke's hand.

She watched as the curious blonde eyed goodies on the platter before plucking a strawberry up and popping it into her mouth. A small moan of approval filled Lexa's ears as Clarke chewed it slowly, and she eagerly accepted the kiss Clarke leaned over to give her in hopes of tasting a bit of the fruit's sweetness on her lips. When they pulled back, Clarke cupped Lexa's cheek gently in the palm of her hand and locked their gazes.

"I love you," Clarke told her quietly before planting a soft peck to waiting lips.

"I love you too," Lexa whispered, her heart flipping inside her chest as Clarke leaned forward again to place a final kiss against her lips.

As Clarke sauntered over to her luggage, Lexa couldn't help her eyes from following every one of her moves. The realization that in four short days she would be asking her best friend, the woman she loved more than anyone in the world, to be her wife sent her emotions into overload, and Lexa had to take a few steadying breaths after Clarke had disappeared into the bathroom. She rummaged through her own bag to one of the secret pockets on the inside and unzipped it to pull out the small black box she had been stealing glances into for the past week.

The diamonds sparkled even more than she had remembered, and the twinkling of them under the dimmed lights overhead worked to calm her nerves enough to where she felt she could get back to her original task of opening their bottle of champagne. She managed to get two glasses poured by the time Clarke had reappeared, dressed from head-to-toe in the new flannel pajamas that she had originally been confused as to why she'd even gotten them (given that even the winter months in San Francisco never got _that_ cold).

After making more than sure that Clarke knew just how adorable she looked in them, Lexa changed into her own pajamas and they cuddled up to sip champagne and snack on their goodies until sleep finally claimed them both.

* * *

The first few days of the vacation had been a blast as everyone involved would have attested to if asked. Skiing was the first activity on everyone's to-do list, and the weather couldn't have been better for it. Despite the fact that Raven had been walking on her own for about a year after her surgery, her doctors hadn't signed off on allowing her to ski down any part of the mountain they deemed to be too difficult. It left her and whichever one of her friends who took revolving shifts to ski with her to enjoy, all day long, the bunny hill with about fifty of whom Raven had sworn up and down were the world's most annoying kids ever.

Needless to say that the group promised to spend the entire second day doing things Raven could take part in fully. A few of them were hesitant about signing up for a twenty mile trail along the foothills of the mountains on horseback, but they all completely lost their initial doubts the second they saw some of the most beautiful scenery they'd ever witnessed. The guide surprised them all at about the ten mile mark with a few thermoses full of piping hot chocolate, which they all took eagerly, and finished the ride comfortably after being thoroughly warmed up by the steaming liquid.

Their snowshoeing adventure had been one of the more interesting of activities, starting immediately with a round of bickering between those who got the hang of the necessary movements quickly and those who were a bit more... uncoordinated... so to speak. By the time they had trudged through about two miles of snowy forest, an epic snowball fight broke out which resulted in every single one of them getting at least one handful of snow shoved down neck of their jackets and a few broken snowshoes which lead to even more bickering.

By the time they were all sat down at a table in a nearby steakhouse however, they'd calmed down to the point where the arguments of the day had been completely forgotten. They ordered enough appetizers to make a meal out of, along with enough alcohol to last them at least _two_ mealtimes, and lost themselves into a night of hearty laughter and pure joy. It had begun to snow on their way back to the chalet, and Clarke made a comment about it being the most perfect night she'd ever had in her life at which Lexa and everyone else simply smiled and nodded. Little did she know that the next day, which had been planned out perfectly to the letter, would blow the top off of the 'perfect night' they had just had.

Or would it?

A disapproving grunt vibrated inside Lexa's lungs as the heaviness of sleep had made way for the following morning hours. The warm body snuggled against her side began to stir, and Lexa reactively tightened her hold in a silent plea not to be left alone. Clarke let out a lazy hum and nuzzled her face tightly into the crook of Lexa's neck, the tender movement making Lexa smile in delight. There was no better feeling than waking cuddled up with the woman she loved, and her heartbeat quickened its pace as she suddenly realized that the day, the big day, had finally arrived. But before she even had the time to let her excitement take hold of her thoughts, a light buzz from her phone against the bedside table caught her attention. She carefully reached over to grab for the small device, making sure not to jostle Clarke too much in the process.

 **Raven: Meet me outside. We need to talk.**

Through her sleepy blinking, Lexa managed to read the text without disturbing the slumbering girl next to her. A sudden wave of panic washed through her body, and Lexa felt herself tense involuntarily as thoughts about why Raven sounded so serious in her message. Perhaps any intended lightheartedness was lost in the simplicity of the sentences, but Lexa could sense that something was indeed wrong. She didn't know how she knew, but she just knew.

As she slipped away from Clarke's heavy embrace, Lexa pulled herself from the bed and grabbed a hair tie from the bedside table to gather her wild locks into before slipping on her glasses and heading towards the suite door. She barely got a foot away from the bed when Clarke awoke, her face scrunching in confusion as to why the spot next to her was vacant as she had just discovered by swiping her hand across the mattress beside her a few times.

"Lexa?"

"Hey," Lexa answered as she leaned over to place a soft kiss on Clarke's rosy cheek, "go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?" Clarke asked, her voice raspy with fatigue.

"I'm going to grab us something for breakfast," Lexa told her in a quiet voice. "I'll be right back."

She took the small hum as approval and made her way to the door once again. When she opened it, Lexa was slightly shocked to see all four of her friends huddled in the hallway (looking just as sleep-deprived as she felt) waiting for her. Raven motioned silently for her to follow and lead them all into Lincoln and Octavia's room. The moment the door was finally closed behind them, Raven spoke up.

"Okay, don't freak out," she instructed as she held up her hands at Lexa.

"Don't freak out about what?" Lexa asked carefully, already knowing that something disastrous was happening by the way her friends were all looking at her.

"Abby just called me and told me that her flight is being rerouted," Raven began slowly, "due to the insane blizzard happening outside right now."

Lexa looked over to see Lincoln pull open the curtains covering the window in his and Octavia's room to show nothing more than complete whiteout conditions outside. Her heart jumped into her throat and she swallowed thickly, suddenly understanding that her entire plan was about to be completely ruined.

"She said they're going to try and land the plane at another airport where weather isn't currently an issue, but she isn't sure whether she will be able to get a shuttle to take her all the way here," Raven told her.

That Lexa could easily believe. The fact of the matter was that there were probably no shuttle drivers operating in such terrible weather, and there was probably an even slimmer chance that one of them would agree to drive Abby from an airport even farther away from the chalet than the one into which she was supposed to be flying. Lexa felt her heart then bottom out as she thought about how disappointed Abby must have felt to realize she would miss her only daughter's engagement proposal, an event Lexa had promised her she would include her in on.

"Shit," Lexa finally muttered through her teeth as her eyes fell shut.

The rest of the group stood in silence, as if they were holding their breaths for what the brunette was about to do or say, and Lexa took a few seconds to herself to just think. Not only would Abby not be arriving at the time she was due to, there is no way she would be able to do the proposal outside which was part of what the original plan had entailed. The entire day had been flipped on its head in a matter of seconds, and Lexa felt herself struggling with the realization.

"If we could somehow get Abby here today," Octavia began, "you could do it here."

"In the chalet?" Lexa questioned lightly, and Octavia nodded.

"Obviously we wouldn't be able to follow your original plan, but we could still make it special," Raven chimed in.

"Plus, Clarke will love any way you decide to propose to her," Anya tried to reassure her friend.

"She really will," Lincoln added in, punctuating his statement with a slow nod of his head.

Lexa swept a glance around the room to each one of her friends and silently made a decision. Her mind raced with thoughts about everything that needed to be done in such a short amount of time, and without even realizing it she began to pace. Everyone around her remained perfectly still and silent, knowing that Lexa was mere seconds away from giving every one of them a job which they were already planning to willingly accept.

"Okay," Lexa finally said, nodding her head shallowly as she spoke. "Raven, did Abby tell you where and when her plane was expected to land?"

"Yeah, I wrote everything down here," Raven said as she held up a crumpled piece of paper.

"There's no way that an airport shuttle will drive her all the way out here in a blizzard," Lexa told the group, "but I might be able to pull a few strings with my company's driving service and get someone to pick her up."

Raven nodded and handed the piece of paper over to Lexa who took it and, without so much as a glance at it, shoved it into the breast pocket on the front of her pajama shirt.

"Someone should talk to the manager, explain the situation to him, and ask if there's anything he can do for us," Lexa told the group. "I would do it myself, but Clarke is expecting me to bring breakfast up for us in a minute."

"I'll do it," Anya offered. "I'll introduce myself formally."

Lexa nodded, knowing immediately that her 'formal introduction' would include her military title. If history showed anything it was that people were usually quite happy to help a soldier out with a favor which would no doubt be an immense help.

"Find out what you can and then report back to me in about an hour," Lexa told Anya. "That should give me and Clarke enough time to eat breakfast, and I can slip away when she takes a shower."

"Got it," Anya replied with a solid nod.

"Octavia," Lexa began as she turned her attention towards the brunette trying to stifle a yawn, "I might need you and Raven to keep her occupied for a while today, but I'll let you know."

"You sure?" Octavia asked with a twinkle in her eye. "I'm betting your more than capable enough to keep her occupied if you know what I mean."

Lexa fought the blush creeping up her neck on its way to her cheeks as she understood immediately what Octavia meant, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. What she really hadn't needed was to be reminded of how long it had been since she and Clarke had last made love, especially in front of all her nosy friends.

"What about the no sex rule?" Lincoln asked as he nudged Octavia playfully.

"Yeah, we _totally_ broke that rule last night," Raven said as she wagged her eyebrows.

"And the night before that," Anya added, completely seriously.

"Same here," Octavia admitted as she pointed between her husband and herself. "I mean, we didn't do _it_... but we did stuff... really good stuff."

"So Clarke and I are the only ones who've followed the rule?" Lexa asked in disbelief.

The silence among the group gave Lexa her answer, and she rolled her eyes as she let out a sigh.

"What we _should_ be focused on is getting all your plans changed without Clarke suspecting anything," Octavia interjected.

"Right," Lexa said as she straightened her glasses and looked over at Anya. "Talk to the manager, and meet me back here in one hour."

"And break!" Raven shouted playfully, earning her a round of shushes from the group and a smack to her arm by Anya.

Lexa turned to leave just as Octavia and Raven began discussions of an operation code name, and she shook her head hearing the tail-end of their string of suggestions. She pushed her thoughts past it and made her way down to the dining room where a gourmet breakfast buffet had already been set up with everything ranging from pancakes, french toast, hash browns and omelets to fresh fruit, boxed cereal, muffins and bagels. She spotted an area by the pastry table with giant cinnamon rolls and knew immediately they were what Clarke would want.

She plated two rolls, two cups of orange juice, and two flutes of champagne before making her way back up to their room to find Clarke awake and watching television still buried deep under the sea of blankets and sheets on their bed. A lazy smile greeted her the second Lexa walked through the door, and she threw Clarke a gentle grin of her own before setting the food tray on top of the mattress. Clarke's eyes lit up at the selection presented to her and immediately grabbed for the juice and champagne, bringing the carbonated drink to her lips for a sip before setting both cups on her bedside table.

"I do believe that you're spoiling me, Miss Woods," Clarke teased as Lexa moved her own drinks to her bedside table.

"What can I say, Miss Griffin?" Lexa began with a sly smile playing on her lips. "You're worth spoiling."

Clarke wrapped her fingers around a small wrist and tugged gently until Lexa fell onto the bed. She accepted the appreciative kiss eagerly as the grumbling of her stomach made sure they didn't get too carried away. A small giggle bubbled up from Clarke's chest at the obnoxious noise, and she delivered a small and final peck before both of them dug into the soft, warm, and perfectly gooey cinnamon rolls.

"This is the best freaking cinnamon roll I've ever had in my life," Clarke moaned around a huge mouthful of said pastry.

Lexa chuckled lightly beside her as she swallowed her own bite before quietly sucking the glaze frosting off of the tip of her thumb. Clarke watched in silence, her eyes focusing in on the plump lips she adored, and barely noticed her mouth slack open until the lips she was so intently admiring pulled themselves into an amused smirk. She smashed her lips together to form a tight scowl, a reaction from being caught in the act, before shrugging her shoulders hastily.

"What?" Clarke asked, not having been prompted by anything other than Lexa's smug smile.

"I didn't say anything," Lexa replied with a shrug of her own.

"You smiled at me," Clarke said, her tone insistent.

"You were watching me eat."

"I was not watching you eat, I was watching you lick frosting off your finger," Clarke corrected her girlfriend quickly. "Which, by the way, was incredibly sexy."

"It was not," Lexa mumbled as she broke their gaze and felt her cheeks heat up.

"I hate to break it to you, but it totally was," Clarke said, moving her empty plate onto the little table next to her side of the bed.

The tension from the week's (apparently useless) no sex rule and the uncertainty of the planning out of one of the most important days in both of their lives had Lexa wound so tightly that it was a wonder she hadn't yet snapped. She tried her best to avoid letting her eyes wander, but they did so on their own accord the moment Clarke swept a leg around her hips to straddle her on the bed. Lexa felt helpless, in the best possible way, as Clarke plucked the empty plate from her hands and set it aside before straightening her back to peer down at her.

Clarke's palms lay flat against her stomach in an unspoken command for Lexa to stay right where she was, flat on her back and at the mercy of the blonde on top of her. She was excited, her insides twisting with anticipation, and felt the slightest bit vulnerable. It was the most wonderful combination of emotions that only Clarke knew exactly how to elicit, and Lexa felt her heart beat a little bit faster as she gazed up into those familiar darkening blue eyes.

"Pretty much anything you do with your lips is sexy," Clarke purred as she ever-so-subtly rotated her hips to get comfortable.

Lexa's hands found themselves on each side of Clarke's waist before she even realized her brain had told them to move, and a faint brush of Clarke's fingertips against her lips was pretty much the only thing she could concentrate on. That and, of course, the sliver cleavage peeking out from under Clarke's flannel pajama top was staring her straight in the face. The small smirk that tugged at the corner of Clarke's lips revealed she knew exactly what Lexa was looking at and used it to her advantage... not that she actually needed one.

"Seriously," Clarke continued as she moistened her lips with her tongue and began slowly unbuttoning her sleep shirt, "I don't think I can wait another second without feeling them on me."

Lexa swallowed roughly, not even caring how ridiculous her gulp must have looked to the woman sitting above her, and trained her eyes in on the sliver of skin slowly being revealed as Clarke continued slipping the buttons loose from their holes. Deciding that she was too intrigued to see where the situation was going to go, Lexa licked her lips and strained a single word from her parched throat.

"Where?"

"Anywhere," Clarke answered quickly before leaning down to whisper, "everywhere."

The sheer amount of possibilities that suddenly flooded Lexa's mind was enough to make a small whimper fall from her lips as Clarke freed the final button on her shirt. Her eyes greedily took in the sight in front of her, Clarke's full breasts and perky pink nipples begging for attention, and Lexa found herself gripping onto the soft skin at Clarke's sides as if her life depended on it.

"Clarke, the..." Lexa tried but was distracted by the devilish look on her girlfriend's face, "what about the..." she attempted again as her gaze trailed down to Clarke's chest once again before finally adding, "the rule?"

"Well, since I technically never agreed to it in the first place," Clarke explained, "I say screw the rule."

Completely in agreement with the suggestion, Lexa pushed herself into a sitting position and crashed her lips into Clarke's. They both released a sigh of relief before their lips quickly found a rhythm as if it was the most natural thing they'd ever done. Lexa's fingers flexed against the back of Clarke's neck in a silent plea to deepen their kiss, and a gravely moan bubbled up from the depths of Lexa's lungs the moment she finally felt Clarke's tongue against her own.

They kept pace for a while before Clarke hooked her fingers around Lexa's forearm, urging her touch away from her neck and down her chest until she was cradling a soft mound of flesh in her hand. As Clarke pushed herself further into Lexa's palm, their lips detached with a languid pop and Lexa wasted no time in lowering her mouth to the stiff peak of Clarke's left nipple. The blonde hissed as the perfect amount of pressure from Lexa's teeth scraped along her skin just the way she liked it and wound her fingers through dark brunette locks to help direct her movements.

"Fuck, Lexa," Clarke said through a moan just as Lexa switched her attention to her other breast.

She let her head tip back as full lips fell around her right nipple before being laved by Lexa's tongue, the sensation of it sending a shiver down her spine and straight to the apex of her thighs where she was literally throbbing with desire and anticipation for the expert touch she knew was coming. Her thoughts momentarily preoccupied her long enough for Lexa to flip their positions, and they both let out a hum of approval as Lexa's lips skated down the flat plane of Clarke's stomach. Each time Lexa's tongue peeked out to get a taste of the skin below, Clarke eased her legs apart giving Lexa ample room to settle herself between them as she continued her journey downwards.

Just when Clarke lifted her hips as Lexa hooked her fingers around the top of her pajama pants, a loud knock sounded at their door followed by a few muffled bangs. Lexa lifted her gaze to look into Clarke's eyes and immediately recognized the expression on her face as being one of annoyance at the interruption and muttered an apology before rolling off the bed to make her way over towards the door. She glanced back to assure that Clarke had properly covered herself before opening the door to reveal a stoic Anya and Raven practically bouncing with excitement.

"Clarke!" Raven shouted as she brushed past Lexa and walked into the room. "Guess what I have planned for us today?"

"Raven," Clarke scolded her friend as she tightened her grip around the blanket covering her naked chest, "even at the risk of sounding rude, I don't really care what you have planned unless it comes with a little privacy for me and Lexa."

"Well, get over it," Raven said with a shrug before plopping herself down on the bed, "because we're all booked for a day of pampering at the chalet's spa."

"I thought we were supposed to take a hike today?" Clarke asked, pulling a hand through her unruly curls.

"It's snowing, princess," Raven told her as she jumped up from the bed and made her way over to the window to yank back the curtains.

Clarke's mouth fell into a small frown as she saw the blur of snow swirling around outside and knew immediately that it wasn't a normal snowfall. While spending the day taking advantage of the chalet's spa services did sound wonderful, Clarke couldn't deny the small tinge of disappointment she felt at not being able to follow through with a planned activity that Lexa had seemed to be looking forward to so much. Then again who could say no to a massage? Or a pedicure, a soak in the hot tub or mud bath, a steam in the sauna, and a facial? Suddenly being snowed in didn't sound all too bad to her.

"Your timing still sucks," Clarke said as she shot a glare over at Raven.

"It's a gift," Raven teased with a wink. "Now get your lazy ass out of bed so they can start servicing us!"

"Gross," Clarke mumbled as she swung her legs off the bed and carefully reached for her robe so not to accidentally flash her friend.

Clarke looked around to see neither Lexa nor Anya anywhere in sight and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion as she slipped on her robe.

"Where did they go?" Clarke asked as she looked over at Raven.

"Uh, hello? Down to the spa?" Raven replied with an obvious expression on her face.

"What? Already?" Clarke questioned as she rose from the bed and looked around as if she might find Lexa hiding somewhere in the room. "They just left without us?"

"You're asking far too many questions at this early hour," Raven said as she walked up behind Clarke and began pushing her towards the door.

"Come on, you guys," Octavia suddenly yelled as she burst into the room, "we don't want to be late for our massages!"

"But what about Lexa?" Clarke asked, her voice becoming quite flustered as her friends quickly ushered her out of her room and into the hallway.

"She's, um..."

"She headed down there already," Octavia interrupted Raven. "Lincoln and Anya too."

"Why?" Clarke asked, clearly not understanding why her girlfriend would have left without her but not actually having enough time to process it before the door to her suite was being closed behind her and she was being dragged downstairs.

"Oy, with the questions already!" Raven said with a huff as she flung her arms into the air dramatically.

* * *

"Damn, this is seriously the best hot cocoa I've ever had in my life," Clarke enthused as she licked the remnants of the chocolate beverage from her lips. "I swear I'm about to gain five pounds from the amount I'm going to consume before we go home."

"Aww, I want to see chubby Clarke," Raven teased. "Lexa, go get her another cup."

Clarke simply rolled her eyes but allowed her mug to be taken by Lexa nonetheless, not daring to turn down another helping of the sinfully delicious drink. She sat up a little bit to let Lexa slip out from her position behind her on the couch in the chalet's large sitting area where they had all gathered around the roaring fireplace after their full day of pampering at the on-site spa. Clarke, for one, felt more relaxed than she had in months while Lexa, on the other hand, seemed to be strung as tight as a bowstring. She had noticed it immediately but put it out of her mind, reasoning that it was likely the events of the morning that had been cut short was the cause, and decided to just sit back and enjoy herself during the little time they all had left on the vacation.

The living room they were in was expansive but seemed quite cozy due to the number of couches and lounge chairs set up to give multiple groups of chalet guests a spot to gather privately. Octavia had muscled her way to through the room to claim the best seat in the house, two of the plushest couches flanking each side of the chalet's grand stone fireplace. It was like a scene from a movie as they all cuddled up to their significant others, talking and joking while sipping gourmet hot chocolate while the blizzard continued to wreak havoc outside. Despite being separated from Lexa during every single one of their spa services, Clarke was overjoyed to know she would be spending the rest of the evening in her girlfriend's arms.

"Does anyone else want another cup?" Anya asked the group as she stood to follow Lexa.

"Fill me up," Octavia said as she handed her freshly-drained mug towards the soldier.

"Shouldn't you be saying that to your husband?" Anya shot back as she took the mug in her hand.

"Maybe later," Octavia replied with a wink before turning her head to wag her eyebrows at Lincoln suggestively.

"Oh, please don't tell me you two are trying to conceive your first child here," Clarke said through a groan and a grimace. "I don't need those kind of memories attached to this awesome vacation."

"We're abiding by the rule," Lincoln piped up proudly.

"More or less," Octavia added with a shrug, at which Clarke simply rolled her eyes.

"Good afternoon, everyone."

At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, the group turned their attention to the man who had suddenly appeared between their couches. The subtlety of his dark auburn scruff made way to show off a brilliant smile, and his eyes twinkled with what could be best described as pure joy. Just based on his demeanor, Clarke thought he looked to be one of those people whose life was a living dream and it influenced his every expression.

"My name is Ralph, and I'm the manager here at the chalet," he introduced himself as he pushed his hands inside the front pockets of his dark jeans.

His clothing looked far from what a man in charge might normally be expected to look, but they were in mountain country after all and anything less than the jeans and thick cable knit sweater he was wearing would look ridiculous. The collar of a forest green flannel shit peeked out from the under the neckline of the sweater, and the clumpy but stylish boots he wore pulled his whole look together. Clarke was positive had she met Manager Ralph during her single days, she would've most assuredly been open to a round or two of flirting, despite the never-ending string of jokes her friends would undoubtedly make about the misfortune of his name.

"I'm making my rounds to let everyone know we're planning a special dinner event since the surprise blizzard outside has ruined a lot of plans," Ralph told them. "Our chefs have been working all day to come up with a menu unlike one we've ever done before, and we're hoping everyone will come and enjoy the food and a round of drinks on the house."

"That sounds great," Raven said with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, awesome," Octavia quickly but somewhat awkwardly added.

"Super!" Lincoln exclaimed, and Clarke quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Dinner will be ready at seven o'clock, but feel free to join everyone before that for an hour of cocktails," Ralph finished with a dazzling smile.

Clarke offered the polite manager a smile and a nod before he excused himself to the next group of guests. Octavia had just finished elbowing Lincoln in the ribs when Clarke looked over towards her friends again but couldn't manage to say anything about it before Lexa and Anya appeared again with mugs full of steaming hot chocolate.

"So, uh, who was that?" Anya asked, doing her best to act like she hadn't a clue who the man was.

"Why, are you jealous?" Raven decided to tease as Anya lowered herself to the couch beside Clarke.

"Jealous? Of that ginger-headed ninny-muggins?" Anya asked rhetorically. "Please, woman."

"Oh my gosh," Clarke said as she choked on her laughter. "Ninny-muggins?"

"I made her watch Elf last night, and she fucking loved it," Raven said as she flashed Anya a shit-eating grin.

"Thanks a lot," Anya snapped as she rolled her eyes while the rest of the group joined in on the laughter.

"You were the one who got jealous enough to call him a ninny-muggins," Raven pointed out with a shrug and a laugh of her own. "I had nothing to do with any of that."

Anya huffed in displeasure as her cheeks heated, a phenomenon that didn't happen often which only worked to spur her friends on even more. The witty comeback battle Anya and Raven immediately engaged in had the group practically cheering in amusement until they were dabbing at the tears leaking from their eyes and trying to catch their breaths from laughing until their sides had started to hurt. They were nothing if not a boisterous group.

The remainder of the afternoon and first part of the evening flew by for everyone except Lexa who was rapidly feeling the weight of the upcoming events pressing down hard on her shoulders to the point where almost every conversation she attempted to engage in came to an abrupt end each time she forgot to respond to whatever it was that had been said to her. It was during the time they were freshening up in their room before heading down for drinks that Clarke finally confronted Lexa about it, hoping to get an explanation suitable enough to stop her from getting worried.

"Hey," Clarke said as she slipped her arms around Lexa's neck. "Where are you?"

"Hmm?" Lexa hummed lightly in confusion as her hands hung helplessly at her sides.

"You've been inside your head all day," Clarke told her, letting her eyes bore deeply into Lexa's as she spoke. "Is everything okay?"

The sincerity in Clarke's voice snapped Lexa back to the present, and she sighed softly as her hands finally came up to rest gently on Clarke's hips. She leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to the pink lips she loved so much and opened her mouth to speak.

"Everything is perfect," Lexa assured her.

"Really?" Clarke pressed on. "Are you disappointed that we had to cancel the hike?"

"A little," Lexa confessed with a shallow nod, "but I'd enjoy any day I get spend with you no matter what it is we end up doing."

"Mmm," Clarke purred as she smiled and captured Lexa's lips in a soft kiss. "You saying that is kind of ironic seeing as we spent more of our day apart than together. Are you sure you're telling me the truth, Miss Woods?"

Lexa knew she was only joking, she could tell by the way Clarke's lips curled slowly into a sly grin, but she wanted to make sure her girlfriend knew just how truthful she was being. She squeezed the flesh at Clarke's hips and molded their bodies together before looking deeply into her eyes.

"I am," Lexa began quietly, "and I would consider myself the luckiest woman on Earth to spend every day for the rest of my life with you."

As Clarke's heart flipped dangerously in her chest, the grin on her face widened along with her eyes while Lexa's words echoed loudly in her head. Just when she was about to tease Lexa about sounding like she was proposing, a series of light knocks sounded at their suite door which pulled them away from each other just enough for Clarke to snake her hand into Lexa's to entwine their fingers together.

They made their way down to the main level of the chalet, taking lead in front of the rest of their friends, until Lexa steered Clarke away from the dining area and towards a small closed door that was draped with twinkling white Christmas lights. A confused expression wafted over Clarke's face as she watched Lexa pull the door open and usher her inside, and she nearly lost her footing when she was finally met with the sight of the small room in all its glory.

Anya's successful discussion with Manager Ralph earlier that morning had laid the foundation for the entire night, even changing the chalet's original plan for their guests' snowy night. Lincoln had gone to work with a few other staff members setting up the small room off the main dining area that was usually used as a butler's pantry of sorts and transforming it into an intimate dining experience for seven.

The large round table in the middle of the room was dressed with a crisp white cloth, icy blue napkins, and crystal dinnerware. Silver accents in the form of shiny flatware, candle holders, and vases filled with white flowers (that may or may not have been recycled from some of the other arrangements set up throughout the chalet) gave the room a sparkle and a feeling of just the right amount of fanciness without being over-the-top. There was soft holiday music playing through the speakers overhead, but what caught Clarke's attention above everything else was the sight of a familiar face beaming at her from just inside the door.

"Mom?"

"Hi, sweetie," Abby greeted her daughter with a hug and a smile big enough to almost jump off her face.

Clarke gripped her mother tightly as the surprise overtook her body, and her mind began to race with a hundred questions she wanted to ask. As she pulled away, Abby gave Clarke a final squeeze at her waist but remained silent knowing her daughter would start in on her questioning fairly quickly.

"What are you doing here?" Clarke asked just as Abby knew she would.

"Oh, you know, it was all part of the plan," Abby replied nonchalantly, "although the blizzard outside made it infinitely more difficult to actually get here."

"How did..." Clarke began only to trail off. "Why..."

When Abby simply looked past her, Clarke turned her attention to her group of friends who were all sporting drastically different expressions from one another. Anya was off to her right, standing with her arms crossed over her chest and a smug smile stretching at the corners of her lips. Lincoln was on her far left looking comically excited, his hands buried in his pockets and his broad shoulders brushing the tips of his earlobes as if he was bracing himself for the most thrilling thing he might ever see. Raven's eyes were as wide as saucers, and she was nodding frantically as if Clarke should know what was going on while Octavia was biting her bottom lip in the way she always would when she was trying not to blurt out a secret.

When Clarke finally made eye contact with Lexa, she could have sworn the girl almost fainted. A noticeable nudge from Raven and Octavia forced Lexa to take a step forward, and she broke her gaze with Clarke for a few seconds as she swallowed and exhaled slowly. Despite being the calm and collected lawyer she knew she could be, Lexa was a worthless pile of nerves as she leaned in to close the distance between her and Clarke. Kissing Clarke had always done its job to calm her in the past, and Lexa figured the least she could do was try it then.

The feeling of Lexa's lips literally trembling against her own sent Clarke's mind into a momentary panic until she remembered how happy all of her friends had looked just a second ago before she had closed her eyes in response to the gentle kiss being given to her. A small puff of Lexa's breath against her lips caused her eyelids to flutter open, and she latched onto Lexa's gaze as if it were her lifeline. She searched the dark green eyes she had come to love so deeply for a silent explanation but was graced with the sound of Lexa's voice instead.

"I've tried to plan out what I was going to say in this moment, like, a hundred times over," Lexa began with a shaky breath, "but I always had to stop short to reassure myself that I wasn't actually in some kind of dream."

At the sincerity of Lexa's words, realization finally broke over Clarke's confusion and she immediately sucked in a breath as if she was preparing for what was to come. She tried to stop the tears from forming in her eyes, but they began to fall before she could even finish her thought.

"The moment I realized how full my life could feel was the moment you walked into it," Lexa continued as she lifted a hand to wipe away a tear rolling down Clarke's cheek only for one of her own to escape from her eye, "and a few here could probably attest to the fact that I loved you far before I even _knew_ I loved you."

Clarke let out a strained sound that was something between a laugh and a sob as she reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes, and a few other small laughs could be heard from her friends in the group as well.

"I quite easily find myself falling more in love with you every day," Lexa explained as she slipped her hand into her pocket, "and I don't want to imagine my life without that feeling for even a second."

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as Lexa fell to a knee in front of Clarke before presenting her with a shimmering diamond ring. She hadn't planned to, but Lexa felt herself reaching out with her free hand to touch the side of Clarke's thigh as she scooted in closer and dropped her voice.

"Clarke Abigail Griffin," Lexa said, slowly pronouncing each word, "will you marry me?"

All she could manage was an enthusiastic nod of her head as her right hand clamped over her mouth to stifle the sobs and her left hand floated in the air until Lexa took it in her own and gently slid the ring onto her finger. The group cheered and clapped as Lexa stood to her feet a second before Clarke wrapped her arms around her fiancée's neck and buried her face into the soft cushion of her hair. They stood for a while just holding each other tightly until Lexa moved her head back to lean in and capture Clarke's tear-stained lips in a passionate (but nevertheless appropriate) kiss.

"Well, that was cheesier than I thought it would be," Anya said as she wiped a tear from her own cheek.

"Are you kidding me?" Raven quickly interjected. "It's Lexa, what did you expect?"

"Hey!" Clarke immediately came to her fiancée's defense who, quite honestly, didn't seem at all offended.

"With love, Clarke, I mean that with love," Raven quickly added as she shook her head and held her arms open for a congratulatory hug.

The newly engaged couple made their way around the group, receiving congratulatory hugs and kisses on the cheek, until they all made their way over to the prepared table. As soon as everyone had found their seats, Manager Ralph and two fellow chalet employees appeared to first offer their congratulations to the couple before announcing the dinner menu.

Champagne was poured in everyone's glass, except for Octavia who had politely requested a non-alcoholic option beforehand, and toasts were made to honor both Lexa and Clarke. Their chatter immediately turned into revelations of all the secrets that had been kept to bring them all to the very moment they were enjoying.

"I can't believe you got someone to drive Abby two hundred miles in a blizzard," Lincoln said as he lifted his glass of champagne to his lips.

"The weather actually wasn't that bad until the last fifty miles or so," Abby chimed in, "but they were probably the longest miles of my life if we're being honest here."

"So how did you get the chalet to set this room up for us on such short notice?" Clarke asked Lexa, all the pieces of the plan finally coming together in her mind.

"I'm US Army Major Anya Carter," Anya began in a stern voice, "and I was hoping you might be able to help me with the execution of a marriage proposal."

"That's exactly how she introduced herself to the manager," Raven explained. "I'm pretty sure he thought she was hitting on him at first. I set him straight."

"Yeah, by telling him I was trying to be intimidating," Anya snapped as she leaned back in her chair to look over at Raven, "which completely defeated the purpose of introducing myself like that in the first place."

"You're blaming on me that your intimidation is easily mistaken for flirtation?" Raven asked teasingly. "I have told you before, and I'll tell you again... you're not as big a badass as you think you are, sweetheart."

Everyone around the table let out sounds of surprise, and Anya just crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed.

Before Anya could actually offer another comeback, their food began arriving at the table in waves. The first to be served was a fresh garden salad, followed by what seemed to be a never-ending string of taster plates, and finally ending with one of the richest chocolate desserts any of them had ever tasted. They sat sipping their champagne in a comfortable but only momentary silence before Abby spoke up.

"Did Lexa tell you the story behind the ring?" Abby asked Clarke when she noticed her daughter admiring the sparkling band on her finger.

"The ring has a story?" Octavia blurted out, her eyes going wide with excitement.

"Tell it! Tell it!" Raven shouted as she bounced happily in her chair.

Clarke smiled a bit questioningly and turned her body towards Lexa, just as eager to hear the story as she was sure her friends were. The fact that her mother knew enough to prompt the question had Clarke even more curious, and she found herself literally and figuratively at the edge of her seat as Lexa subtly fidgeted in hers.

"Remember a couple months ago when I had to fly out and meet that state senator?" Lexa asked Clarke.

"Yeah, of course," Clarke replied immediately. "It was the biggest client you've signed working under Indra."

"Right, well," Lexa began before clearing her throat lightly, "before I left I had scheduled to meet up with your mother."

"To ask Abby for permission to marry Clarke!" Octavia interrupted as she clutched her chest.

"Really, Octavia?" Anya questioned with a quirked eyebrow. "We're not living in the fifties anymore. She went to ask for Abby's blessing, not her permission."

"Potato, potahto," Octavia said, waving a dismissive hand in front of her face.

"Tell her about the ring," Abby urged Lexa with a gentle smile and a squeeze to her upper arm.

"Your mom gave me the engagement ring your father proposed to her with," Lexa told Clarke, her voice evening out into a soft tone at the mention of Jake. "She told me that she didn't think it was your style but wanted me to have it anyways. I took it and thought it over for about a week, and, with Abby's approval of course, I went to work designing a new band and setting that I thought you'd like."

"You designed this ring?" Lincoln asked Lexa as he grabbed for Clarke's hand to admire it for the second time that night.

"Seriously, babe," Octavia began to tease him. "Getting that excited about an engagement ring? Not very manly."

Lincoln shot his wife a glare before dropping Clarke's hand and crossing his arms over his chest. He let out a gruff grunt as if to remind her he was, in fact, a manly man which only served to make all the women around the table chuckle.

"Anyways," Lexa began again, "I asked the jeweler if he could use the materials from your mother's ring to create the one I had designed–"

"So this ring was made from the one my dad gave to my mom?" Clarke suddenly interrupted.

"Yes," Lexa replied with a shallow nod, suddenly more nervous than she'd felt all night at the thought of Clarke being upset that she had melted down her mom's ring and completely redesigned it.

"That's... you're..." Clarke tried to speak but her words kept getting caught in her throat.

As tears filled her eyes, Clarke raised a hand to cup Lexa's cheek and leaned in close enough to rest their foreheads together. Lexa instinctively closed her eyes and reached up to lay her own hand on top of Clarke's that was resting on her cheek and sat in a patient silence.

"I love you," Clarke finally whispered into the space between them.

"I love you too," Lexa replied through a soft smile before placing a quick kiss to Clarke's lips.

The overly-dramatic groans from their friends was quickly drowned out by a dull thump of music coming from the main dining area, and Clarke immediately perked up at the sound.

"Are they having a dance next door?" Octavia asked the group excitedly.

"Sounds like it," Anya replied as she turned her head to try and get a peek out the door to see if she could catch sight of what was happening.

"Should we go check it out?" Lexa asked Clarke who nodded enthusiastically in response.

The gang rose to their feet quickly and headed towards the door, Raven taking hold of Abby's hand to drag her along as well and claiming she had to show off some of her new dance moves since her leg was almost completely healed. The older woman just laughed and let herself be lead into the dining room and onto the dance floor where Raven and Anya both danced enthusiastically along with her as the rest of the group found a spot in the crowd.

Clarke felt herself lean back into Lexa's waiting embrace, taking a minute or two to look around the chalet dining room as she was being swayed to the music. There were guests of all ages there, and a large buffet table running along the far side of the room looked absolutely ravished. A few different kinds of desserts remained at the far end of the table, along with several bottles of champagne and wine, but most of the food for the main courses appeared to be gone. The music overhead was loud and upbeat but still age-appropriate as many families were still around and enjoying the camaraderie of their fellow guests while the storm continued to rage outside.

A slight flex of Lexa's fingers around the curve of Clarke's hips had her mind crashing back to the present, and they continued to dance slowly despite the quick beat of the music. Unable to resist, Clarke raised her left hand and couldn't contain the grin that lit up her face as she watched the way the diamonds sparkled under the lights above. She felt Lexa press a smiling kiss to the side of her neck and hummed in approval. After feeling another two kisses against her skin, Clarke turned to face Lexa to press their lip together. It was Lexa's turn to hum, and she did so, just as Clarke pulled away to lean in an whisper against her ear.

"I can't believe I'm engaged to my best friend."

Lexa smiled lightly before leaning back to look into Clarke's eyes. They shone with excitement, love, contentment, desire and a multitude of other emotions Lexa didn't have the time to deduce as she let her fingers trail down the side of Clarke's face.

"I can't believe I'm engaged to _you_ ," Lexa simply stated, her voice full of nothing but honesty.

A faint blush rose to Clarke's cheeks at the statement, and she curled herself into Lexa's body in an attempt to hide her face before she was teased too badly about it. They remained in each other's embrace for a few moments before Clarke tipped her head up to whisper something into Lexa's ear only she could hear. Lexa's eyes swept around the room, darting towards each of her friends as if she was contemplating something, and finally nodded in approval as she laced her fingers with Clarke's and turned to lead her out of the room.

"Hey, engaged people!" Raven shouted over the music. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Oh, you know," Clarke started out with a shrug of her shoulders, "just getting a little fresh air."

"Outside?" Raven deadpanned. "In the blizzard?"

It was as if Clarke suddenly realized her mistake and scrunched her face up in reaction which only spurred Raven on. The smaller brunette propped her hands high on her hips and tipped her head to the side before speaking again.

"You weren't planning on sneaking away to celebrate in private, were you?" Raven asked Clarke before turning her attention on Lexa. "What about the rule?"

Lexa let a long sigh escape her lungs before chancing a glance over at her fiancée who was gazing back at her with eyes darkened with lust. A small but meaningful bite Clarke delivered to her own lip had Lexa making up her mind immediately and she tightened the grip on Clarke's hand before turning her attention towards a buffet table lined with chilled champagne bottles. Clarke urged Lexa towards the table, where the blonde had no qualms to snatch a bottle for the two of them while Lexa continued on after, turning to look over her shoulder at Raven and offer a simple explanation with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Screw the rule."

* * *

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 **** NOTE ** I will be posting future stories exclusively on AO3, so be sure to look out for me over there under the same username if you wish.**

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